Trespassing to collect data bill passes Wyoming House

Members of the Wyoming House of Representatives gave final approval Monday to a bill making trespassing to collect data a crime. Senate File 12 aims to curb collection of resource data for use against landowners in environmental litigation. The legislation is a response to a recent civil suit against members of the Western Watersheds Project who allegedly trespassed to collect water quality data. Proponents of the bill say it would shift the burden of proof to alleged trespassers and make the crime easier to prosecute. Under the bill, state agencies would not be allowed to consider data acquired by trespassing. House members warned against softening the bill to allow alleged trespassers who "reasonably believe" they have permission to access a certain portion of land without consequence. "This bill is about trespassing to collect data," Rep. Tyler Lindholm, R-Sundance said. "If somebody’s trespassing on your property in order to violate this offense, they have to be collecting something. That would leave a hole for those people to try to climb out of." A similar attempt failed in the Senate. Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, proposed an unsuccessful amendment to require prosecution only if a trespasser knowingly violated private property rights for the purpose of collecting resource data...more