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October 26 and 27, 2006
Senator Gerald E. Geis, Chairman
Representative Ross Diercks, Vice-Chairman
Senator Curt Meier
Senator Wayne H. Johnson
Senator Ray Peterson
Senator Bill Vasey
Representative Kermit C. Brown
Representative Kathy Davison
Representative
Representative Doug Samuelson
Representative Mark Semlek
Representative Matt Teeters
Representative Burke Jackson
Representative Mick Powers
Maxine Weaver, Staff Attorney
Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the
Committee Sign-in Sheet
for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.
Chairman Geis called the meeting to order at 8:30 am. The following sections summarize the
Committee proceedings by topic. The
order of the meeting generally followed the prepared agenda [Appendix 2].
The Committee voted to
sponsor: state lands, state trust lands
task force, eminent domain, livestock and brands, livestock brand inspectors,
livestock board, board of agriculture, wheat marketing commission, seed laws,
nursery stock, water well drilling and pump installation licensure and state
engineer rulemaking authority.
The Committee voted not to
sponsor: state trust land management
account, urban renewal, voluntary equine brand inspections, direct supervision
of pesticide applications and instream
The Committee received reports and
updates on livestock and wildlife diseases, water development projects and the
Horse Creek Conservation District.
Representatives Jackson and Powers were
absent from the meeting and from all votes.
John Etchepare, Director of the
Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA), Todd Parfitt from the Department of
Environmental Quality, Bill Gern and Rick Miller from the University of
Wyoming, Dr. Walter Cook, Assistant State Veterinarian, Hank Edwards from Game
and Fish, Richard Harris, Public Health lab supervisor and Dick Mayer from the
United States Department of Agriculture presented Report #544 from the
Bio-Security Task Force [Appendix 3].
Lynne Boomgaarden, Director of the Office of State Lands and
Investments discussed information sent to grazing leasees and presented Report
#545 from the Task Force on the Office of State Lands Trust Programs
[Appendices 4 through 6].
Senator Meier moved the draft bill [Appendix 7]
seconded by Senator Vasey. Director
Boomgaarden explained the draft bill. After
discussion and amendments, the Committee voted 12 for and 2 absent to sponsor
the bill. The bill will be a Senate File
[Appendix 8].
Representative Semlek moved the draft bill [Appendix 9] seconded by Representative Davison. Following explanation of the draft bill by Director
Boomgaarden, discussion and amendments, the Committee voted 12 for and 2 absent
to sponsor the bill. The bill will be a
House Bill [Appendix 10].
Senator Meier moved the draft bill [Appendix 11]
seconded by Senator Vasey. Director
Boomgaarden explained the draft bill. After
discussion with no amendments, the Committee voted 5 for, 7 against and 2
absent, failing to sponsor the bill.
Chairman Geis, Vice-Chairman Diercks, Senator Vasey, Representative
Brown and Representative Morgan voted for the bill.
The Committee took testimony from
the public [Appendices 12 through 26], including George Parks, Wyoming
Association of Municipalities, Ken Hamilton, Wyoming Farm Bureau, R.T. Cox, Laurie
Urbikit, Wyoming Association of Realtors, Jim Magagna and Lois Herbst, Wyoming
Stock Growers Association, Laurie Goodman, representing Landowners Association
of Wyoming and Dave Ditto, with Associated Legal Group and Kinder Morgan.
Senator Vasey moved to sponsor a substitute draft bill from the working group [Appendix 18] instead of 07LSO-0023.W5 [Appendix
27]. The motion was seconded by
Representative Brown and the Committee voted 10 for, 1 against and 2 absent to discuss
the substitute bill with Vice-Chairman Diercks voting no. After discussion and amendments the Committee
voted 11 for, 1 against and 2 absent to sponsor the substitute bill. Chairman Geis voted against the bill. The bill will be a House Bill [Appendix
28].
Senator Johnson moved the draft bill [Appendix 29]
seconded by Senator Peterson. After
discussion with no amendments, the Committee voted 2 for, 10 against and 2
absent, failing to sponsor the bill.
Chairman Geis and Senator Johnson voted for the bill.
Dr. Dwayne Oldham, State Veterinarian, updated the Committee on
livestock and wildlife diseases and other issues affecting the Livestock Board [Appendices
30 and 31]. Dr. Oldham, Jim Schwartz,
Director of the Livestock Board and Lee Romsa, State Brand Commissioner
presented the report from the Brands Task Force [Appendix 32].
Representative Semlek moved the draft bill [Appendix 33] seconded by Representative Brown. Mr. Romsa explained the draft bill. After discussion and amendments, the
Committee voted 11 for, 1 against and 2 absent to sponsor the bill. Senator Meier voted against the bill. The bill will be a House Bill [Appendix 34].
Representative Davison moved the draft bill [Appendix 35] seconded by Senator Meier. After explanation of the draft bill by Mr.
Romsa and discussion with no amendments, the Committee voted 12 for and 2
absent to sponsor the bill. The bill
will be a House Bill [Appendix 36].
Senator Vasey moved the draft bill [Appendix 37] and
the motion was seconded. Mr. Romsa
explained the draft bill [Appendix 38] and Clara Wilson spoke against the draft
bill [Appendix 39]. After discussion the Committee voted 1 for, 11
against and 2 absent, failing to sponsor the bill. Representative Samuelson voted for the bill.
Senator Vasey moved the draft bill [Appendix 40]
seconded by Representative Davison. Following
explanation of the draft bill by Mr. Romsa and discussion with no amendments,
the Committee voted 11 for, 1 against and 2 absent to sponsor the bill. Vice-Chairman Diercks voted against the bill. The bill will be a Senate File [Appendix
41].
The Committee recessed until 8:00 a.m. Friday morning.
Vice-Chairman Diercks, chairing the meeting on Friday, called the
meeting back to order at 8:00 a.m.
Mr. Etchepare, Jason Fearneyhough, Assistant Director of the WDA and
Hank Uhden with the WDA presented Report #543 on the accomplishments of county
predator management boards [Appendix
42].
Senator Meier moved the draft bill [Appendix 43]
seconded by Chairman Geis. Mr.
Etchepare, Mr. Fearneyhough, Helen Jones, Gene Hardy and Spencer Ellis with the
Board of Agriculture explained the draft bill.
After discussion and one amendment, the Committee voted 12 for and 2
absent to sponsor the bill. The bill
will be a Senate File [Appendix 44].
Chairman Geis moved the draft
bill [Appendix 45] seconded by
Representative Davison. Mr. Etchepare,
Mr. Fearneyhough and Keith Kennedy, Executive Director of the Wheat Commission,
explained the draft
bill. After discussion and amendments
[Appendix 46], the Committee voted 12 for and 2 absent to sponsor the
bill. The bill will be a House Bill
[Appendix 47].
Chairman Geis moved the draft bill [Appendix 48]
seconded by Representative Samuelson. Mr.
Uhden, Mr. Kennedy and Gil Weibel with the
Chairman Geis moved the draft bill [Appendix 50]
seconded by Representative Davison. Following
explanation of the draft bill by Mr. Uhden, discussion and amendments [Appendix
51], the Committee voted 11 for 1 against and 2 absent to sponsor the
bill. Senator Meier voted against the
bill. The bill will be a House Bill
[Appendix 52].
Chairman Geis moved the draft bill [Appendix 53]
seconded by Senator Vasey. Mr. Uhden
explained the draft bill [Appendix 54].
Todd Graus with Green Turf Lawnscapes spoke against the bill [Appendices
55 and 56]. After discussion the
Committee voted 1 for, 11 against and 2 absent, failing to sponsor the
bill. Chairman Geis voted for the bill.
Pat Tyrrell, State Engineer and Lisa Lindemann, Ground Water Division
Administrator, explained the draft bill [Appendices 57 through 62]. Chairman Geis moved the draft bill [Appendix 63]
seconded by Representative Samuelson.
Generally, the following spoke in favor of the draft bill: Mike Havely, Wyoming Water Well Association, Jerry
Hunt with Weston Engineering, Scott Blakely, President of the Wyoming Water
Well Association and Ron Matheson, Matheson Drilling.
Generally, the following spoke against the draft bill: Sherry Newton, Charles Newton Drilling [Appendix 64], Calvin Fertig from
Wheatland, Robert Riehemann with Inyon Kara Services, Brent Marchant with
Pinnacle Gas Resources, Larry Kilwein with Kilwein Drilling, Inc., Bruce Fink
with Clear Creek Well Service, Dave Newton, Dave Newton Drilling and LeRoy
Brown, Graf Drilling.
After discussion and amendments, the Committee
voted 9 for, 3 against and 2 absent, to sponsor the bill. Chairman Geis, Vice-Chairman Diercks and Representative
Semlek voted against the bill. The bill
will be a Senate File [Appendix 65].
Chairman Geis moved the draft bill [Appendix 66]
seconded by Representative Brown. State
Engineer Tyrell explained the draft bill.
Steward Smith, Mayor of Pinedale presented a resolution from the Town of
After discussion the
Committee voted 3 for, 9 against and 2 absent, failing to sponsor the
bill. Senator Meier, Senator Vasey and
Representative Brown voted for the bill.
Chairman Geis moved the draft bill [Appendix 69]
seconded by Senator Vasey. After
explanation of the draft bill by Mr. Tyrell and discussion with no amendments,
the Committee voted 12 for and 2 absent to sponsor the bill. The bill will be a Senate File.
Mike Besson, Director of the Wyoming Water
Development Office and Gordon Meadow and Lee Arrington with the Midvale
Irrigation District discussed upcoming issues with various irrigation projects
around the state [Appendices 70 and 71].
Mr. Besson and Lon Eisenbarth, President of the Horse Creek
Conservation District (District) provided an update, as able pending current
litigation, on the issues with the District and the efforts toward resolution
with the various parties. A report is
due in December.
There being no further business, the meeting
was adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Senator Gerald E. Geis, Chairman