In a contentious debate, Wyoming lawmakers quashed a proposed amendment to House Bill 118, which would have preserved private landowners’ rights to sell their property to the federal government, Oil City News reports.
The decision highlights the growing influence of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus and their stance on limiting federal land acquisitions in the state.
House Bill 118, titled “Limitations on net land gains for the federal government,” seeks to restrict land sales in Wyoming that result in a net acreage gain for federal authorities. While the bill does not ban federal purchases outright, it imposes limitations that supporters say are designed to prevent federal overreach in land ownership.
On Monday, Rep. Karlee Provenza, a Democrat from Laramie, introduced an amendment to exempt private landowners from the bill’s restrictions, arguing it would safeguard individual rights to sell property freely. However, the amendment was defeated by a 25-34 vote.
Proponents of the amendment, like Provenza, contended that the bill interferes with private property rights and could devalue land near public properties.
“You’re infringing on individual rights to do what they want with their land,” Provenza argued.
She emphasized the potential economic consequences for landowners near public lands.
Rep. Steve Harshman, a Republican from Casper, referenced a prior land deal in Natrona County where a rancher sold 35,670 acres to a conservation buyer. That land was later transferred to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), improving public access to 8.8 miles of the North Platte River, a renowned trout fishery.
“Those people that sold that land, it was their land — it was their right,” Harshman said.
He cautioned against overreach into private property matters.
Similarly, Rep. Andrew Byron, a Republican from Teton/Lincoln County and a real estate agent, raised concerns about the broader implications for landowners.
“We’re expanding the greenbook to tell our neighbors and our friends and our constituents what they can and cannot do with [their] land,” Byron said.
He warned of government overreach.
Members of the Freedom Caucus defended the restrictions, framing them as necessary for limiting federal government influence in Wyoming. Rep. Dalton Banks, a Republican from Big Horn County and the bill’s sponsor, denied the legislation was an attack on private property rights.
“We’re not limiting who you can sell to,” Banks said. “We are limiting the federal government … we’re limiting their right to purchase.”
Rep. Ken Pendergraft, a Republican from Sheridan, agreed, arguing that private property rights are not absolute.
“I don’t have a right as a private landlord to do everything that I want to do on my private land,” Pendergraft said.
He added that restrictions are appropriate in certain cases, such as when landowners seek to sell to entities perceived as hostile to the United States.
House Bill 118 was partially inspired by the controversial $100 million Kelly Parcel sale, which added 640 acres to Grand Teton National Park. The deal drew both praise and criticism, reflecting ongoing debates over the balance between federal land expansion and state autonomy.
If the bill passes its final reading in the Wyoming House of Representatives, it will move to the Senate for further consideration.
