Committee approves bill requiring landowner 'bill of rights' brochure in eminent-domain discussions

Representative J.D. Williams presented House Bill 11, a measure requiring distribution of a brochure that summarizes landowners’ rights when eminent domain is intended or mentioned. Williams said the bill is designed to facilitate conversations between landowners and entities that may exercise condemnation authority.

Industry witnesses supported the bill while proposing technical amendments to align statutory language and to clarify timing and brochure authorship. Austin Rademacher of Tri-State Generation & Transmission proposed replacing the phrase "will or may attempt" with "intends," removing duplicative GRAMA language, and adding timing language such as "prior to any condemnation actions" so the brochure aligns with existing eminent-domain statutes. "We believe that keeps it synced with the current statute," Rademacher said.

Pete Overmueller of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming endorsed the idea that a single, neutral brochure is preferable and suggested the attorney general’s office develop and post a uniform brochure for condemnors and condemnees to use. Brett Moline of the Wyoming Farm Bureau called the bill an educational tool to help landowners understand their rights.

Committee members asked whether the brochure could create a false sense of security and whether the bill clarifies who may condemn and who pays legal fees. Witnesses and industry representatives replied that statutory rights and negotiation timelines already exist in law and that the brochure is intended to make those rights more accessible.

The committee adopted the sponsor and industry amendments and voted 9–0 to report the bill with amendments.

What happens next: House Bill 11 will go to the House floor with the adopted amendment package, including language directing the AG’s office to develop the brochure.