Opinion ID: 2622594
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Federal Regulations

Text: [¶ 36] Billings next complains the Board improperly relied on grizzly bear regulation in its decision. He argues that, before the Board may rely on federal regulations, those regulations must be incorporated into the Board rules in accord with WAPA. We disagree. [¶ 37] The statute Billings relies on, Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 16-3-103(h) (Lexis 1999), provides: (h) An agency may incorporate, by reference in its rules and without publishing the incorporated matter in full, all or any part of a code, standard, rule or regulation that has been adopted by an agency of the United States or of this state, another state or by a nationally recognized organization or association, provided: (i) Incorporation of the full text in agency rules would be unduly cumbersome or expensive; (ii) The reference in the rules of the incorporating agency fully identifies the incorporated matter by location, date and otherwise, and states that the rule does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter; (iii) The agency, organization or association, originally issuing the incorporated matter makes copies of it readily available to the public and the rules of the incorporating agency state where such copies are available; (iv) The incorporating agency maintains and makes available for public inspection a copy of the incorporated matter and the rules of the incorporating agency state where copies of the incorporated matter are available at cost from the incorporating agency; and (v) The incorporating agency otherwise complies with all procedural requirements under this act and the rules of the registrar of state agency rules governing the promulgation and filing of agency rules. Billings' reliance on Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 16-3-103(h) under his circumstances is misplaced. First, nothing in this provision (or the outfitter statutes) requires that federal regulations be incorporated into the Board's rules before the Board can rely on a violation of the same to suspend or revoke a license. Indeed, the may language found in (h) clearly indicates permissive authority. Rawson v. State, 900 P.2d 1136, 1138 (Wyo.1995). More importantly, we need not reach the issue presented by Billings because it is clear that Billings was aware of, and subject to, the federal regulation. During examination by the Board, Billings admitted the grizzly bear regulation was given to him as part of his Special Use Permit issued by the United States Forest Service. Under these circumstances, we reject Billings' argument.