Wyoming legislature 2025 is underway in Cheyenne

Banks to introduce legislation that pushes back against federal overreach

While most of the attention will be on what lawmakers do about property taxes and guns, Rep. Dalton Banks is zeroing in on the problem of federal overreach, with plans to sponsor three pieces of legislation during the upcoming session in Cheyenne.

A Republican from Cowley, Banks is listed as the primary sponsor of House Bill 61 - State land lease preference amendments; HB 118 - Limitations on net land gains for the federal government; and HB 119 - Minimum easement standards.

“One of the biggest threats we face is federal overreach,” Banks said in an interview Tuesday. “The federal government owns about half of Wyoming, and I think that’s too much, so I’m bringing a bill (HB 118) that would limit the net gains of property for the federal government. They won’t be able to net gain any more property than they have right now.

“It’s clear through the mismanagement of the Forest Service and the BLM that they don’t know how to take care of our land, and I don’t think it’s in the best interest of Wyoming that we give them any more.”

HB 61, meanwhile, would “authorize a person who is not currently in violation of the terms of their state land lease to have a preferred right to renew their lease.”

Landowners from around the state requested the legislation, he said.

“We’ve had a lot of issues in the State Lands office with leases not being renewed because of issues beyond the current leasee’s control — whether it got lost in the mail or something like that.  State Lands often wouldn’t renew them; they would just automatically put it up for bid. So what this bill hopes to address is, if you have a current lease on a piece of state ground, you would have preference in renewing that lease.  State Lands would have to go to you first and say, ‘This is what we’re looking at. Make sure you get your paperwork in. Do you want to continue the current lease?’ The idea is to eradicate the headache for people who rely on  those pieces of land.”

HB 119 came out of the ag committee, Banks said.

“We’re going to do some things to address eminent domain,” he said. “We know it’s written in statute that private companies can file condemnation suits without even talking to landowners. (HB 119) would change that — they would have to talk to landowners, they’d have to go through that process first. The bill is just another way to protect private property rights.”

Key issues

Banks said the top priority of lawmakers is “trying to fix property taxes in a way that gives people good relief but doesn’t limit the services from what we get from the tax revenue.”

Banks said lawmakers intend to resurrect Senate File 54 - Homeowner tax exemption, which would have applied a 25% exemption to the first $2 million of a home’s fair market value. Lawmakers passed the bill last session, but it was vetoed by Gov. Mark Gordon.

Along with that, lawmakers will try to adjust the distribution percentage of state sales tax revenue flowing back to counties and municipalities.

Right now, 69% of sales and use tax revenue is directed into the state’s general fund while 31% goes to counties, cities and towns.  SF 60 would adjust it to a 65%/35% split.

“From my conversations, (the bill) seems to be really popular,” Banks said. “It seems everyone, even the Democrats in Teton County, realizes people are hurting.

“I think the ability to keep some more of that money locally would ease some of the concerns that maybe would arise from local officials who are worried about the state dipping into their revenue.”

Through its investments and other mechanisms, the state would have an easier time generating lost revenue than a county or local municipality, Banks said.

The Cowley Republican is listed as a co-sponsor of Senate File 62 - Restrooms in publicly funded schools, which would require public school children to use restrooms that align with their sex at birth and threaten school districts with the loss of their accreditation if they fail to ensure restrooms are designated for the exclusive use of males or females.

“We’ve been hearing a lot about this one — especially from people in Powell, addressing the issue of men’s and women’s bathrooms and women playing men’s sports. We’ve heard the call resoundingly that they want it to stop in Wyoming. If you’re born a man, you use the men’s bathroom and men’s locker room, and you play on the men’s team. It’s about keeping our girls protected.

“And in conversations with superintendents, they told us they’ve been told by their legal counsel they wouldn’t stand a chance if a lawsuit was brought. So they’ve requested that we do this.”

As for House Bill 125 - Repeal gun-free zones and preemptive amendments, Banks said, “We’re going to see where we fell short last time and see if we can get the governor on board. If not, based on my conversation with Senate and House leadership, we will likely have a veto-proof majority this time.

“We don’t have to be vulnerable when we go into places. We’ll be able to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our families.”

This legislative session is scheduled to last 37 days, ending in early March.

“Everybody always asks me, ‘Do you think it’s going to be smooth?’ Well, I already know better than to say anything will run smoothly,” Banks said with a laugh. “But I think we’re going to get a lot of work done. Our team in the Big Horn Basin is strong. We have a lot of good leadership — multiple chairmen, multiple vice chairmen and a member on Appropriations. I’m proud of the team we have.

“Speaking with other legislators from around the Big Horn Basin, we are in agreement that we have the future of the kids of the Big Horn Basin and of Wyoming on our minds. What are we going to do that’s going to either help them or hurt them in the future? That’s important to all of us, preserving the same Wyoming we got to grow up in for them.”

Constituents who would like to learn more about the bills under consideration and track their progress can do so on the legislative website, wyoleg.gov.

Banks can be reached via email at Dalton.Banks@wyoleg.gov or by phone at 307-272-7255.

By Nathan Oster

While most of the attention will be on what lawmakers do about property taxes and guns, Rep. Dalton Banks is zeroing in on the problem of federal overreach, with plans to sponsor three pieces of legislation during the upcoming session in Cheyenne.

A Republican from Cowley, Banks is listed as the primary sponsor of House Bill 61 - State land lease preference amendments; HB 118 - Limitations on net land gains for the federal government; and HB 119 - Minimum easement standards.

“One of the biggest threats we face is federal overreach,” Banks said in an interview Tuesday. “The federal government owns about half of Wyoming, and I think that’s too much, so I’m bringing a bill (HB 118) that would limit the net gains of property for the federal government. They won’t be able to net gain any more property than they have right now.

“It’s clear through the mismanagement of the Forest Service and the BLM that they don’t know how to take care of our land, and I don’t think it’s in the best interest of Wyoming that we give them any more.”

HB 61, meanwhile, would “authorize a person who is not currently in violation of the terms of their state land lease to have a preferred right to renew their lease.”

Landowners from around the state requested the legislation, he said.

“We’ve had a lot of issues in the State Lands office with leases not being renewed because of issues beyond the current leasee’s control — whether it got lost in the mail or something like that.  State Lands often wouldn’t renew them; they would just automatically put it up for bid. So what this bill hopes to address is, if you have a current lease on a piece of state ground, you would have preference in renewing that lease.  State Lands would have to go to you first and say, ‘This is what we’re looking at. Make sure you get your paperwork in. Do you want to continue the current lease?’ The idea is to eradicate the headache for people who rely on  those pieces of land.”

HB 119 came out of the ag committee, Banks said.

“We’re going to do some things to address eminent domain,” he said. “We know it’s written in statute that private companies can file condemnation suits without even talking to landowners. (HB 119) would change that — they would have to talk to landowners, they’d have to go through that process first. The bill is just another way to protect private property rights.”

Key issues

Banks said the top priority of lawmakers is “trying to fix property taxes in a way that gives people good relief but doesn’t limit the services from what we get from the tax revenue.”

Banks said lawmakers intend to resurrect Senate File 54 - Homeowner tax exemption, which would have applied a 25% exemption to the first $2 million of a home’s fair market value. Lawmakers passed the bill last session, but it was vetoed by Gov. Mark Gordon.

Along with that, lawmakers will try to adjust the distribution percentage of state sales tax revenue flowing back to counties and municipalities.

Right now, 69% of sales and use tax revenue is directed into the state’s general fund while 31% goes to counties, cities and towns.  SF 60 would adjust it to a 65%/35% split.

“From my conversations, (the bill) seems to be really popular,” Banks said. “It seems everyone, even the Democrats in Teton County, realizes people are hurting.

“I think the ability to keep some more of that money locally would ease some of the concerns that maybe would arise from local officials who are worried about the state dipping into their revenue.”

Through its investments and other mechanisms, the state would have an easier time generating lost revenue than a county or local municipality, Banks said.

The Cowley Republican is listed as a co-sponsor of Senate File 62 - Restrooms in publicly funded schools, which would require public school children to use restrooms that align with their sex at birth and threaten school districts with the loss of their accreditation if they fail to ensure restrooms are designated for the exclusive use of males or females.

“We’ve been hearing a lot about this one — especially from people in Powell, addressing the issue of men’s and women’s bathrooms and women playing men’s sports. We’ve heard the call resoundingly that they want it to stop in Wyoming. If you’re born a man, you use the men’s bathroom and men’s locker room, and you play on the men’s team. It’s about keeping our girls protected.

“And in conversations with superintendents, they told us they’ve been told by their legal counsel they wouldn’t stand a chance if a lawsuit was brought. So they’ve requested that we do this.”

As for House Bill 125 - Repeal gun-free zones and preemptive amendments, Banks said, “We’re going to see where we fell short last time and see if we can get the governor on board. If not, based on my conversation with Senate and House leadership, we will likely have a veto-proof majority this time.

“We don’t have to be vulnerable when we go into places. We’ll be able to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our families.”

This legislative session is scheduled to last 37 days, ending in early March.

“Everybody always asks me, ‘Do you think it’s going to be smooth?’ Well, I already know better than to say anything will run smoothly,” Banks said with a laugh. “But I think we’re going to get a lot of work done. Our team in the Big Horn Basin is strong. We have a lot of good leadership — multiple chairmen, multiple vice chairmen and a member on Appropriations. I’m proud of the team we have.

“Speaking with other legislators from around the Big Horn Basin, we are in agreement that we have the future of the kids of the Big Horn Basin and of Wyoming on our minds. What are we going to do that’s going to either help them or hurt them in the future? That’s important to all of us, preserving the same Wyoming we got to grow up in for them.”

Constituents who would like to learn more about the bills under consideration and track their progress can do so on the legislative website, wyoleg.gov.

Banks can be reached via email at Dalton.Banks@wyoleg.gov or by phone at 307-272-7255.