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Bill to allow long‑term residential leases on state land fails on 7–7 tie after amendments
Summary
The committee considered a bill allowing residential leases (increasing maximum lease terms from 75 to 99 years) on certain state lands adjacent to municipalities with public‑access and wildlife protections; members adopted narrowing amendments but the bill failed in committee on a 7–7 tie.
The committee considered 25LSO0024 to clarify that state lands can be leased for residential purposes and to extend maximum lease terms from 75 to 99 years. Josh Anderson (LSO) said the draft included priority language for affordable housing on state lands adjacent to municipalities and added provisions to retain access and protect critical wildlife habitat.
Jason Crowder, interim director of the Office of State Lands and Investments, cautioned about elevating public access to a statutory "right" and noted the Board of Land Commissioners already manages access as a privilege through rules and stipulations that protect habitat. Crowder emphasized existing stipulation 5 (big‑game winter range) and executive‑order processes that direct seasonal protections.
Conservation groups supported limiting impacts. Megan Riley (Wyoming Outdoor Council) asked that the bill treat access as a privilege rather than an absolute right and proposed requiring Wyoming Game and Fish review for leases in crucial winter range or migration corridors.
The committee adopted several amendments narrowing the subsection so access and wildlife language apply when leasing pursuant to the affordable‑housing subsection, changing the word "rights" to "privileges," and adding a requirement the Board consult Game and Fish on overlapping crucial winter range. Despite those compromises, the final roll call resulted in a 7–7 tie and the bill failed to advance.
Committee discussion focused on whether state lands adjacent to communities should be sold or leased for development, the merits of a 99‑year lease to secure private financing, and long‑term stewardship obligations for government‑owned parcels intended for housing.
What happens next: Because the vote was tied, the bill did not advance from the committee. Sponsors said they may return with technical fixes or move similar concepts as narrower proposals later.
