Following are the bills that have been filed and impact Wyoming REALTORS®, the real estate industry and private property rights for the 2020 Wyoming Budget legislative session. If you want to read the full text of the bill, you can click on the bill number. The deadline for bill introduction is Friday, February 14th. We expect numerous bills to be filed between now and then. This list will be updated as new bills are filed. Please watch for emails requesting your immediate action in contacting your Representative or Senator. This is a 20 day session, so bills move rapidly. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at L@wyoming.com or (307) 851-1191. During the session, I will have my phone on silent, so a text message may be the quickest way for me to receive your inquiries. If you want to read our public policy statements, you will find that document here, which guides our position on specific legislation.
Sponsored By: Joint Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Interim Committee
AN ACT relating to counties, cities and towns; modifying authority to impose zoning assessments; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.
IMPACT: Wyoming statutes are silent regarding impact fees. This legislation establishes a statewide policy prohibiting impact fees being imposed by cities or counties.
STATUS: Received for introduction.
Wyoming REALTOR® Position: SUPPORT
Sponsored By: Joint Revenue Interim Committee
AN ACT relating to agricultural land; increasing the production requirements for agricultural land qualification; and providing for an effective date.
IMPACT: The bill increases the amount of income for a rural property to be considered as agricultural for tax purposes. While the amount would be increased to only $3,000, it may hamper startup ag operations.
STATUS: Received for introduction.
Wyoming REALTOR® Position: MONITOR
Sponsored By: Joint Revenue Interim Committee
AN ACT relating to taxation; creating the National Corporate Tax Recapture Act; imposing a tax on businesses as specified; providing for administration of the Act; providing penalties; requiring rulemaking; requiring a report; and providing for effective dates.
IMPACT: The goal is to impose a corporate income tax on large corporations. The tax would be imposed on public traded corporations with over 100 shareholders. Our concern is how it would impact our franchise offices. We will offer an amendment to insert language adding a dollar profit level to eliminate the impact on any real estate franchise.
STATUS: Received for introduction.
Wyoming REALTOR® Position: MONITOR IF AMMENDED
Sponsored By: Representative(s) Clausen, Barlow and Kirkbride and Senator(s) Boner and Wasserburger
AN ACT relating to oil and gas; amending provisions related to surface damage and disruption payments; and providing for an effective date.
IMPACT: The bill expands the process for landowners to recover actual damages from oil and gas companies.
STATUS: Received for introduction.
Wyoming REALTOR® Position: MONITOR
Sponsored By: Representative(s) Clausen, Barlow, Kirkbride and Lindholm and Senator(s) Boner and Wasserburger
AN ACT relating to oil and gas; authorizing surface owner objections for an operator's failure to comply with requirements to negotiate in good faith; specifying procedures; amending notice requirements; and providing for an effective date.
IMPACT: The bill clarifies the process for a landowners objections if they believe an oil and gas company is not acting in good faith.
STATUS: Received for introduction
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Wyoming REALTOR® Position: MONITOR
Sponsored By: Representative(s) Laursen, Clem, Hallinan and Miller and Senator(s) Biteman, Bouchard and Case
AN ACT relating to professions and occupations; extending professional licensing options for military spouses to all persons; providing for the issuance of professional and occupational licenses to qualified applicants from other states; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.
IMPACT: The bill would require most professional licensing boards to issue licenses to individuals that hold similar licenses in other states without any testing. The concern is that internet companies from the west coast could have a Wyoming license without ever stepping foot into the state or having any knowledge of Wyoming law.
STATUS: Received for introduction.
Wyoming REALTOR® Position: OPPOSE
Sponsored By: Representative(s) Yin and Schwartz and Senator(s) Gierau
AN ACT relating to county authority to regulate unoccupied properties; authorizing counties to impose a fee on unoccupied residential dwellings as specified; providing for use of revenues generated for a county property tax relief or refund program or an affordable housing program; and providing for an effective date.
IMPACT: The bill would allow Counties to impose a fee on residential dwellings that are unoccupied for over ½ the year. In essence this would be an additional tax on second homes.
STATUS: Received for introduction.
Wyoming REALTOR® Position: OPPOSE
