Committee Meeting Information

September 10, 11 and 12, 2007

McKibben Cafeteria Building

Wyoming State Fair Park

Douglas, Wyoming

 

Committee Members Present

Senator Gerald E. Geis, Co-Chairman

Representative Doug Samuelson, Co-Chairman

Senator Eli Bebout

Senator Wayne H. Johnson

Senator Drew Perkins

Senator Bill Vasey

Representative Stan Blake

Representative Bob Brechtel

Representative Ross Diercks

Representative Amy Edmonds

Representative Mark Semlek

Representative Matt Teeters

Representative Sue Wallis

Representative Dan Zwonitzer

 

Legislative Service Office Staff

Maxine Weaver, Staff Attorney

 

Others Present at Meeting

Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet
for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.

 

Executive Summary

The Committee participated in the Governor's Natural Resource Tour on Monday and toured sites of interest to the Committee on Tuesday.  The Committee received the report from the Animal Damage Management Board, recommendations from the Coalbed Methane Task Force and an update on rules for the classification of grey wolves from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

 

The Committee voted to sponsor:  state trust land management account, federal grazing permits, farm loan program, state engineer rulemaking authority, water well drilling and pump installation licensure, animal damage management program and nursery stock.

 

The Committee voted not to sponsor:  brand inspections fees and veterinarian student loan repayment program.

 

Call To Order (September 10, 2007)

The Committee went on the Governor's Natural Resource tour in Converse County, including Glenrock, the Duncan Ranch, Boxelder Canyon and Esterbrook.  Appendix 2 provides a schedule of Monday's tour. 

 

Call To Order (September 11, 2007)

The Committee toured areas of interest in Converse and Natrona County, including the State Fair facilities, the Duncan Ranch, the Bureau of Reclamation and Casper Mountain.   Appendix 3 provides a schedule of Tuesday's tour. 

 

Call To Order (September 12, 2007)

Co-Chairman Geis called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.  The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by topic.  The order of the meeting generally followed the prepared agenda [Appendix 4]. 

 

Approval of Minutes

Senator Bebout moved that the minutes from the April Committee meeting be approved.  Senator Johnson seconded the motion and the motion passed.

 

Office of State Lands and Investments

Lynne Boomgaarden, Director of the Office of State Lands and Investments provided background on the state land preservation and enhancement account [Appendix 5] and presented the draft bill 08LSO-0019.W4 - State trust land management account [Appendix 6].

 

Senator Vasey moved to sponsor the draft bill, seconded by Senator Johnson.  Representative Teeters moved to amend the bill to put a sunset date of 2013 on the new provisions.  The amendment was seconded and passed.  The bill passed 7-6-1 with Senator Bebout, Representatives Brechtel, Edmonds, Semlek Teeters and Wallis voting no and Senator Perkins excused.  The bill will be a senate file.

 

Jim Magagna, Executive Vice-President of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association presented draft legislation on – 08LSO-0061.W4 – Federal grazing permits [Appendix 7]. 

 

Representative Semlek moved to sponsor the draft bill, seconded by Representative Brechtel.  Following discussion with no amendments, the motion passed 12-1-1 with Representative Zwonitzer voting no and Senator Perkins excused.  The bill will be a house bill.

 

Mr. Magagna then provided background on the farm loan program [Appendix 8] and discussed the draft bill, 08LSO-0062.W3 – Farm loan program [Appendix 9].

 

Senator Bebout moved to sponsor the draft bill.  Representative Brechtel seconded the motion.  Following discussion with no amendments, the motion passed 13-1 with Senator Perkins excused.  The bill will be a senate file.

 

Forest Health

Bill Haagenson, Assistant State Forester provided updates on forest health, fire equipment, fire season preparedness and expressed concern over cutbacks in federal budgets.  Mr. Haagenson will schedule a forest health meeting to be held at the start of the budget legislative session.

 

Water Development

Mike Purcell, Director of the Wyoming Water Development Office updated the Committee on various irrigation projects, the status on various rehabilitation projects and the effects of the drought on irrigation and municipalities around the state [Appendix 10].

 

Irrigation Issues

Phil Hartman and Roy Schatz discussed their dissatisfaction with the State Engineer’s Office [Appendices 11 through 14]. 

 

State Engineer's Office

Pat Tyrrell, State Engineer, Harry Labonde, Deputy State Engineer, Lisa Lindeman, Groundwater Administrator and Loren Smith, Water Division III, responded to the allegations presented by Mr. Hartman and Mr. Schatz.  Mr. Tyrrell then explained the draft legislation on 08LSO-0020.W2 - State engineer rulemaking authority [Appendix 15].

 

Senator Vasey moved to sponsor the draft bill seconded by Representative Blake.  Representative Samuelson moved to amend the bill to add amendments that had been introduced in the house at the last session [Appendix 16].  Senator Bebout seconded the motion and the amendment passed. 

Doug Chamberlain representing Madden Brothers at Torrington and Roger Huckfeldt spoke against the draft bill [Appendix 17]. 

 

Representative Teeters moved to amend the draft by striking section 2.  Representative Brechtel seconded the motion.  The Teeters amendment failed.  Senator Bebout moved to amend the bill on Page 2, Section 2 to change the date from 2008 to 2006.  Senator Vasey seconded the motion and the Bebout amendment passed.  The bill passed 9-4-1.  [Appendix 18]. 

 

Mr. Tyrrell, Mr. LaBonde and Ms. Lindeman explained draft bill 08LSO-0021.W5 - Water well drilling and pump installation licensure [Appendix 19]. 

 

Representative Zwonitzer moved to sponsor the draft bill, seconded by Representative Blake.  Senator Bebout moved to amend the draft bill on page 4 to allow reciprocity if the other state offers reciprocity.  Senator Johnson seconded the amendment and the amendment passed.  The bill passed 11-2-1 with Representatives Semlek and Wallis voting no and Senator Perkins excused [Appendix 20].

 

Coalbed Methane report and Update

Representative Pat Childers and Aaron Clark with the Governor’s office presented the recommendations from the Coalbed Methane Task Force [Appendix 21].  Co-Chairman Samuelson moved to have LSO draft a bill based on the recommendations from the Task Force, seconded by Representative Semlek.  The motion passed.

 

Department of Agriculture

John Etchepare, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Hank Uhden, Technical Services Manager submitted Report #543 on the Animal Damage Management Program [Appendix 22].  Mr. Uhden discussed proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0017.W1 – Animal damage management program-amendment [Appendix 23]. 

 

Senator Vasey moved to sponsor the draft bill, seconded by Representative Brechtel.  Senator Vasey moved to amend the draft bill to repeal section 313 rather than to amend the section, seconded by Representative Brechtel.  The amendment passed and the bill passed 14-0.  It will be a Senate File [Appendix 24]. 

 

Mr. Uhden presented proposed legislation – 08LSO-0018.W1 - Nursery stock [Appendix 25].  Representative Zwonitzer moved to sponsor the draft bill, seconded by Representative Brechtel.  With no amendments, the motion passed 13-1 with Senator Bebout excused.  This will be a house bill.

 

State Fair Facilities

Senator Jim Anderson, John Etchepare, Director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) and James Goodrich, State Fair Manager discussed the state fair facilities, their current usage and expectations for future usage [Appendices 26 and 27].

 

Livestock Board

Mike and Norleen Cheser presented information and discussed their concerns with animal identification programs [Appendix 28]. 

 

Update on Livestock and Wildlife Diseases

The Committee welcomed new State Veterinarian Dr. Walter Cook and new Assistant State Veterinarian Dr. Jim Logan.  Dr. Cook and Dr. Logan updated the Committee on livestock and wildlife diseases, including brucellosis, scrapies, bovine tuberculosis and trichomoniasis.  Dr. Cook explained the trend in decreasing number of food animal veterinarians and urged the committee to consider a veterinarian student loan repayment program [Appendix 29]. 

 

Representative Zwonitzer moved to draft a bill for the veterinarian student loan repayment program.  Representative Wallis seconded the motion.  Following discussion, the motion failed 7-7 with Co-Chairman Geis, Senators Bebout and Johnson and Representatives Brechtel, Edmonds, Semlek and Teeters voting no.

 

Jim Schwartz, Director of the Livestock Board and Lee Romsa, State Brand Commissioner updated the Committee on animal welfare, brands, animal identification, premise identification and the bio-security laboratory.  Mr. Schwartz presented background information and discussed the proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0063.W3 – Brand inspection fees [Appendices 30 and 31].

 

Senator Johnson moved to sponsor the draft bill, seconded by Representative Edmonds. 

 

Bryce Reece, Executive Vice-President of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association, spoke against the draft legislation.  Mr. Magagna and Brett Moline with the Wyoming Farm Bureau asked questions regarding the draft bill.  The motion failed 3-11 with Senator Johnson and Representatives Edmonds and Teeters voting for the motion.

 

Wolf Management Report and Rules Update

Scott Talbott, Division Chief at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department discussed the current status of the rules for classification of grey wolves and [Appendices 32 through 35].

 

Reports

Following the last meeting, the Committee received information from the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts [Appendix 36 ] and updated lists of reports due to the Committee [Appendices 37 and 38].

 

Meeting Adjournment

There being no further business, Co-Chairman Samuelson moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Representative Wallis and the motion passed.  The meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

Senator Gerald Geis, Co-Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix		Appendix Topic		Appendix Description		Appendix Provider
1		Committee Sign-In Sheet		Lists meeting attendees		Legislative Service Office (LSO)
2		Governor's Tour		Provides a list of tour sites		Department of Agriculture
3		Committee Tour		Provides a list of tour sites		LSO
4		Committee Meeting Agenda		Provides an outline of the topics the Committee planned to address at meeting		LSO
5		Office of State Lands and Investments (OSLI)		State Trust Land Preservation and Enhancement Account		OSLI
6		OSLI		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0019.W4 - State trust land management account.		OSLI
7		OSLI		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0061.W4 – Federal grazing permits.		Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA)
8		OSLI		Proposed Legislative Changes – Farm Loan Program		WSGA
9		OSLI		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0062.W3 – Farm loan program.		WSGA
10		Water Development		Wyoming Water Development Accounts-Status Report		Wyoming Water Development
11		Irrigation Issues		August 27, 2007 Letter		Phil Hartman and Roy Schatz
12		Irrigation Issues		September 12, 2007 Letter		Phil Hartman and Roy Schatz
13		Irrigation Issues		Ditch rights		Phil Hartman and Roy Schatz
14		Irrigation Issues		Complaint/Appeal		Phil Hartman and Roy Schatz
15		State Engineer		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0020.W2 - State engineer rulemaking authority.		State Engineer's Office
16		State Engineer		Proposed Amendments		State Engineer
17		State Engineer		Spread Sheet		Doug Chamberlain
18		State Engineer		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0020.C1 - State engineer rulemaking authority.		State Engineer's Office
19		State Engineer		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0021.W5 - Water well drilling and pump installation licensure.		LSO
20		State Engineer		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0021.C1 - Water well drilling and pump installation licensure.		LSO
21		Coalbed Methane		Recommendations		LSO
22		Department of Agriculture		Report #543 – Animal Damage Management Board		Department of Agriculture
23		Department of Agriculture		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0017.W1 – Animal damage management program-amendment.		LSO
24		Department of Agriculture		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0017.C1 – Animal damage management program-amendment.		LSO
25		Department of Agriculture		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0018.W1  - Nursery stock.		LSO
26		Department of Agriculture		August 21, 2007 Letter		State Fair Manager
27		Department of Agriculture		State Fair Packet		State Fair Manager
28		Livestock Board		Packet		Norleen and Mike Cheser
29		Livestock Board		Veterinarian loan repayment program		Livestock Board
30		Livestock Board		August 27, 2007 Memorandum		Livestock Board
31		Livestock Board		Proposed Legislation – 08LSO-0063.W3 – Brand inspection fees.		LSO
32		Wolf Management		Report #565 - Report on Rules for Classification of Grey Wolves		Wyoming Game and Fish Department (G&F)
33		Wolf Management		Draft Chapter 21 Rules		G&F
34		Wolf Management		Draft Chapter 28 Rules		G&F
35		Wolf Management		Draft Chapter 47 Rules		G&F
36		Reports and Updates		August 9, 2007 Letter		Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts
37		Reports and Updates		September 7, 2007 Reports Due List		LSO
38		Reports and Updates		September 7, 2007 Reports to Agriculture Committee		LSO