The first week of the 59th Wyoming Legislature has been completed.  Wyoming remains one of the few states having a true part-time citizen legislature.  Although this is a Budget Session, there are several bills that may be of interest to Wyoming residents. 

• HB 0055 Water well drilling and pump installation.  AN ACT relating to water well drilling contractors and water well pump installation contractors; providing for licensure; providing certain exemptions; establishing licensing procedures; providing for fees; providing for examinations and continuing education requirements; providing for reciprocity; providing for license revocation and suspension; providing penalties; making conforming amendments; providing a sunset for certain provisions; repealing certain reciprocity provisions; and providing for an effective date. 
  
  This bill will require water well drillers and pump installers to be licensed.  Wyoming is the only state that does not require licensing of these professions.

• HB 0009  Campaign Finance Reporting.  AN ACT relating to campaign finance reporting; amending restrictions on contributions from individuals; modifying persons required to file campaign receipts reports; requiring reporting from political action committees and candidate's campaign committees; requiring amendment of campaign finance reports as specified; providing and modifying penalties; and providing for an effective date. 
  
  This bill increases individual contributions to a political campaign from $1000 to $3500 per election.  It limits the amount a PAC can contribute to $3,500 except for state wide candidates and that limit is $7,000. 

• SF0019 Clandestine drug laboratories-remediation.  AN ACT relating to public health and safety; providing that the discovery on property of hazardous material related to clandestine laboratory operations constitutes an incident requiring response under the Wyoming Emergency Response Act; providing for rules and regulations setting standards for remediation of clandestine laboratory operations; providing for securing of incident sites as specified; restricting transfer of property declared uninhabitable; providing for reimbursement of response costs; creating a clandestine laboratory remediation account; providing for reimbursement of response costs through the crime victims' compensation account; providing for notice and time for private remediation; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date. 
  
  This bill currently holds an unknowing property owner to only 1% of the Fair Market Value for the clean up costs, and limits that 1% to the actual contaminated site.  If the land is not contaminated, it is only 1% of the value of the improvements where the lab was located.  

There are many other bills being considered in this session including: SF 0011 Subdivisions-large acre parcels, SF0044 Residential Mortgages Practices Act, and SF 0004 Foreclosure-redemption period; so be sure to check out all the 2008 Bills and their status.  You might find others that are of interest to you.  Stay Informed and Speak Up so your Senator or Representative knows your wishes on the various bills.