§ 28-11-501 — Appointment of members; powers and duties

Wyoming § 28-11-501

• Jurisdiction: Wyoming
• Title 28: Legislature
• Ch. 11: SELECT COMMITTEES
• Art. 5: SELECT FEDERAL NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Text

(a) Not later than March 15 following each general
election, a select federal natural resource management committee
shall be appointed subject to the following:
(i) The president of the senate shall appoint three
(3) members of the senate apportioned as nearly as possible to
reflect the percentage of the elected membership of the majority
and minority parties of the senate, provided not more than five
(5) of the members of the select committee shall be from the
same political party. Select committee membership shall include:
(A) One (1) member of the senate agriculture,
state and public lands and water resources committee;
(B) One (1) member appointed at-large; and
(C) One (1) member of the senate minerals,
business and economic development committee.
(ii) The speaker of the house of representatives
shall appoint three (3) members of the house apportioned as
nearly as possible to reflect the percentage of the elected
membership of the majority and minority parties of the house,
provided not more than five (5) of the members of the select
committee shall be from the same political party. Select
committee membership shall include:
(A) One (1) member of the house agriculture,
state and public lands and water resources committee;
(B) One (1) member appointed at-large; and
(C) One (1) member of the house minerals,
business and economic development committee.
(b) The select committee shall:
(i) Select from among its members one (1) senator and
one (1) member of the house to serve as co-chairmen;
(ii) Meet as necessary to review existing or proposed
federal policies or action which may impact the management,
development or use of the state's natural resources;
(iii) Consider issues related to public lands. In
considering the topic, the select committee:
(A) Shall determine the potential structure of
ownership of public lands within the state including
consideration of the state owning the surface rights, owning the
subsurface rights, managing either the surface or subsurface, or
both, or other ownership and management options as determined by
the committee;
(B) Shall determine criteria for management of
public lands including consideration of rights currently
existing under federal law;
(C) Shall consider methods for the federal
government to divest public lands held within the state
including consideration of legal action and congressional
action;
(D) May secure consulting services, if
necessary, to provide technical assistance in compiling
information related to public lands within the state or other
issues related to the transfer of public lands.
(iv) Develop and introduce legislation as necessary
related to the acquisition or management of public lands and
legislative responses to federal policies and actions necessary
to protect the interests of the state of Wyoming.
(c) As used in this section, "public lands" means any
surface or subsurface lands within the boundaries of the state,
title to which is held by the federal government. "Public lands"
shall not include any land within the boundaries of a designated
national park, designated national monument or wilderness area
designated under the national wilderness preservation system.