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Committee approves change to give compliant state lessees renewal preference
Summary
The committee advanced House Bill 61 to give a preference to current, compliant lessees of state trust lands at lease renewal; members amended the bill to clarify the preference applies only when the lessee "is not currently in violation" of lease terms. The measure passed unanimously, 9-0.
Representative Dalton Banks introduced House Bill 61 to the Agriculture, State & Public Lands & Water Resources Committee to codify an existing practice of giving preference to current lessees of state trust lands when leases are renewed, provided the lessee is not in violation of lease terms.
The change would make explicit that a lessee who is not currently violating lease terms — for example by subleasing without approval, missing rental payments, or failing to follow an approved grazing plan — should receive preference in renewal situations where competing bids arise. Jason Crowder, interim director for the Office of State Lands and Investments, told the committee the bill largely matches current practice and would reduce contested-case confusion about whether past, corrected violations should disqualify a lessee.
The committee heard from agricultural stakeholders who support the clarification. Jim McGavin of Weimstockworth Association urged inserting the word "currently" to ensure only active violations at the time of renewal would disqualify a lessee. Brett Moline of the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation also supported adding language to account for lessees who are working to correct violations so they would not be denied renewal unjustly.
Representative Banks moved an amendment to insert the word "currently" so the text would read that the lessee "is not currently in violation of the provisions of the lease." The committee adopted the amendment by voice vote, then voted to advance the bill as amended. The committee recorded the final vote in favor of the amended bill as 9-0.
The Office of State Lands and Investments, represented at the hearing by Crowder and Assistant Director Cody Booth, told the committee that most lease infractions are resolved through education and timely correction and that the Board of Land Commissioners has delegated some approvals to the director to reduce timing problems that previously affected renewals.
The bill now moves forward from committee with the committee-approved amendment.
Votes at a glance: House Bill 61 (as amended) — Committee vote: 9–0; amendment adding "currently" adopted prior to final passage.
