State bill to eliminate rental regulations dies without committee vote
The bill failed to clear its first committee, a hurdle it had to clear before the deadline Friday. ASUW opposed it, passing its third resolution in support of Laramie’s City Rental Housing Code.
A legislative attempt to outlaw Laramie’s rental regulations — and forbid other municipalities from passing the same — died late last week when it missed a key deadline.
House Bill 216 was introduced and assigned to a committee, but Friday was the last day for bills to clear a committee in their house of origin. The committee responsible for HB216 did not consider or vote on the bill, so it stalled out when the Legislature adjourned Friday.
The bill would have revoked the legal right that Wyoming municipalities currently enjoy to pass their own rental regulations. If it had passed, the bill would have reserved that right to the State Legislature. It would have immediately undone Laramie’s rental regulations and rendered the city ordinance enforceable.
The bill worried those in Laramie, who had fought over the issue of rental regulations for years. The Laramie City Council finally passed the City Rental Housing Code in early 2022 and its provisions just went into effect last month. The code outlines basic health and safety standards for rental units within city limits. Major heating, plumbing and electrical work now has to be completed by licenced professionals. All units have to be “structurally sound” and outfitted with smoke detectors and kept free of pests and mold. By 2025, all units will need to also be outfitted with fire escape windows.
It was forcefully opposed by landlords. But the code has its supporters too.
The student government at the University of Wyoming is no stranger to Laramie’s rental regulation debate. It voiced its support for Laramie's rental housing code before the council passed it — and again when a lawsuit threatened to unravel its most important provisions. So the introduction of HB216 came as no surprise to student senators when it was submitted to the Wyoming House of Representatives last month.
The student government, known as the Associated Students of the University of Wyoming, acted quickly to denounce the attack.
“Frankly, I was not surprised,” ASUW President Allison Brown said. “There was obviously frustration from certain city councilors and from some people in the community of Laramie. I think it's undeniable that it's a reaction to what's happening in Laramie.”
ASUW support began after a student issue survey in 2021 revealed that 23.05% of students surveyed had issues with their current or past landlord. The survey also asked students to open up about their experiences renting in Laramie.
“I mean, some of them were pretty direct — like my landlord has unlawful practices or is impossible to work with or raises rent or doesn't fix things, or my house is unlivable but I can't afford anywhere else,” ASUW Senator Tanner Ewalt said.
The combination of student testimonials and survey data resulted in ASUW Senate Resolution 2773, “Support for Laramie City Ordinance #2309 for the creation of a city rental housing code.”
The student senate again voiced its support for the rental ordinance when that ordinance was threatened by a landlord-backed lawsuit. ASUW reiterated its support for rental regulations with the passage of Resolution 2825, “Resolution on Laramie Housing Ordinance 8.80.010-8.80.070.”
One week ago, amid the new legislative attack on Laramie’s rental housing code, the ASUW Senate again voiced its support, unanimously approving ASUW Senate Resolution 2848, “ASUW Opposition to HB 216, ‘Residential Properties Applicability.’”
“It's clear to me to see that the landlords lost, lost to renters, lost to the city council, lost to the members of this community and lost to us the ASUW,” Ewalt said. “And now they've gone to the state hoping that they'll change the rules.”
The resolution states that ASUW and the UW student population stand in “resolute opposition to Wyoming State House Bill 216 and any future legislation with the same goal or effect.”
The passage of the ASUW resolution comes just days after the UW Board of Trustees unanimously approved a 15 percent increase for the housing and dining fee paid by students living on campus.
The price hike was heavily contested by student government representatives on the grounds that student wages for those with university employment had not increased to meet the newly adjusted housing and dining fee.
ASUW also voiced its opposition to Senate File 117 — Wyoming’s own “Don’t Say Gay” bill. That bill is still in play, having cleared its house of origin. It’s one of several legislative attacks on gay and trans rights this session.
“I would like to impart upon the representatives of Albany County that ASUW is always an open door for them to come and talk to us about these things, and this goes to all other representatives, not just in Albany County, but across the state,” Ewalt said. “We are the one four-year university in this state. We are the voice of students in Wyoming. So maybe come talk to us when you're talking about students.”
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