The sixty-third (63rd) Legislature of the State of Wyoming, 2015 General Session adjourned on March 6, 2015. While much of the session focused on healthcare issues, a few items are noteworthy for those in the energy and natural resources industry.

We had previously reported that a Flaring Tax had been proposed by House Bill 238, calling for taxation of flared natural gas after a well had been in production for 90 days. By way of an update as to the status of House Bill 238, the proposal died in Committee.

A bill passed that relates to a surface owner's liability for pipeline leaks and spills; specifically, House Bill 8 was passed and signed by Governor Mead. Enrolled Act No. 1 amends Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-11-1801(a) to include subpart (vii) that a surface owner is an "innocent owner" if the source of the environmental contamination was a pipeline running under or across his land and the surface owner was not involved in the installation, operation or maintenance of the pipeline. The change will be effective July 1, 2015.

House Bill 160, Enrolled Act No. 68, created Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 34-2-136 and § 34-2-137 concerning special warranty deeds effective July 1, 2015. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 34-2-136 provides for the form language for a special warranty deed and Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 34-2-137 articulates the effect of such conveyance; namely, a "by, through and under" warranty.

Also of note, Senate File No. 72 which would have increased penalties for willful violations of OSHA and safety and health standards, was not considered by the Committee of the Whole.

Last but certainly not least, my friends back home with subscriptions to wine-of-the-month clubs will be happy to know that the amount of wine that can be shipped to their homes in a year period has been increased to 36 liters of wine.

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