Around the 307
News, commentary, and other items of interest from the greater Wyoming landscape.
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It’s the first full week of March! Here are a few Wyoming news items of interest from the week that began on March 2nd, 2025:
On Tuesday, March 4th it finally happened—Governor Mark Gordon signed Senate File 69 (SF 69) Homeowner property tax exemption into law! Effective immediately, SF 69, signed into law as Senate Enrolled Act 60, will provide a 25% property tax exemption on up to $1 million dollars of fair market value for residential structures and improved land. An owner-occupied provision (meaning the home must be occupied at least 8-months out of the year with an exception for deployed military personnel) begins in 2026. Additionally, SF 69 has no sunset date. And, while I think there is still work to be done on the reform of residential property taxation in Wyoming, this is a good start and long overdue.
Also on Tuesday, Cowboy State Daily published this story with a run-down of Wyoming wildlife bills, some that made it into law and others that did not.
First up, House Bill 275 (HB 275) also known as the “clean kill bill” was signed into law by Governor Gordon. This legislation was in direct response to the incident that occurred in Sublette County in February 2024 when a resident ran down a wolf with a snowmobile and later put the wounded animal on display at a local bar before dispatching it. [Note I reported on this incident in the week of April 7th, 2024 Around the 307 post.] HB 275 requires much harsher penalties for those who torture or prolong the suffering of predatory animals. A step in the right direction for sure, but the new legislation does not outlaw running down critters with snowmobiles. I would hope Wyoming could eventually do better than this.
Another bill successfully signed into law, HB 5, requires permitting for commercial fishing guides with an aim to protect Wyoming’s besieged angling waters.
Lastly, and I’m saddened to report that trapping reform bill Senate File 139 (SF 139) which would have given the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission the authority to establish trap setback specifications via the public rule-making process did not make it to the Governor’s desk. While SF 139 passed the Senate, it was never introduced in the House. This is a very disappointing outcome for the grassroots group Jester’s Legacy who were the driving force behind SF 139. [A quick recap about Jester’s Legacy for those who may not be aware—the group was formed following the death of Becky Barber’s 8-year old English bull terrier, Jester, whose throat was crushed after he was caught in an illegally set conibear trap last February 2024 along the Swift Creek Road trail outside of Afton, Wyoming.] Despite SF 139 falling short of the finish line in this session, Jester’s Legacy will continue their efforts to improve respectful co-existence between trappers and other outdoor/trails enthusiasts. And, I will continue to keep folks updated on how their efforts progress.
Lastly—it would appear the debate over urban chicken-keeping is once again in the news, this time in Rock Springs. In this story published in the Rocket Miner on March 6th, the Rock Springs City Council decided to hold off on a first reading of an ordinance update that would allow chickens within the city limits. “A need for further data and mixed feedback” promoted the delay. Many municipalities in Wyoming (Green River, Casper, Lander, and Laramie to name a few) allow the keeping of back-yard poultry bounded, of course, within various regulations such as requiring permits and coops. Opponents of the pro-urban-chicken crowd call out concerns such as avian flu, noise, and the potential for odors if a poultry-owner is less than judicious when it comes to property upkeep. No matter the outcome here, I’m more than certain the great urban chicken-keeping debate will rage on.
That’s all for today buckaroos! Thanks for reading and have a great week!
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