Wyoming Judiciary Committee advances three bills on squatters, fraudulent documents and protection orders

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday advanced three bills: Senate File 6, a measure to allow law enforcement to remove unauthorized occupants from residential property; Senate File 11, a felony for using fraudulent documents to gain or remain in possession of property; and Senate File 7, amendments to protection-order procedures. Committee members adopted several conforming and procedural amendments and sent all three bills to the floor.

The bills were presented as responses to complaints from property owners, landlords and courts about a rise in people occupying residences without permission and about falsified documents used to assert control over property. Committee members said the proposals aim to create a faster, clearer path for law enforcement and courts to respond while preserving civil remedies where appropriate.

Senator Anderson, sponsor of Senate File 6, told the committee the measure grew out of a constituent complaint about “4 or 5 bruisers” occupying a house the constituent owned and would not leave. “She went through the process with the legal entities to try to get those guys kicked out,” Anderson said, and the bill “is trying to do is make it a criminal case.” The draft establishes a procedure for owners or authorized agents to submit a sworn affidavit to law enforcement and for officers to verify ownership quickly. It also included felony and misdemeanor provisions in the draft: a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine up to $10,000 for knowingly occupying, damaging, or remaining in a residential dwelling after giving officers reason to remove the person.

Representatives of the Wyoming Realtors and local landlords urged the committee to pass the measure and suggested technical edits. Lori Ervokite of the Wyoming Realtors described multiple incidents across the state, including a member who arrived at a foreclosed…