11-20-201. Designation of contract services to implement brand inspection laws; bond required; bond of inspectors; interstate cooperative agreements.

(a) The board may designate an agency or contract for services subject to rules and regulations of the board, to exercise the rights, powers and duties provided by law with respect to inspection of brands and ownership of the animals mentioned herein.

(b) The agency, or the board may contract for inspectors as the board deems necessary to carry out specified duties. The board may contract for inspectors through an individual at-will contract. The board may contract to provide the inspector salary, mileage, per diem and other necessary reimbursable expenses, membership in the state employees and officials group insurance plan in accordance with W.S. 9-2-1022(a)(xi)(F)(IV) and 9-3-207, and the state retirement system in accordance with W.S. 9-2-1022(a)(xi)(F)(IV) and 9-3-412. The board shall be authorized to establish mileage rates without regard to the limitations provided in W.S. 9-3-103. During the time that inspectors are acting within the scope of their duties on behalf or in service of the state in their official capacity, inspectors are covered by the provisions of the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act, W.S. 1-39-101 through 1-39-120, and the state self-insurance program, W.S. 1-41-101 through 1-41-111. It may assign inspectors inside or outside of this state as it deems appropriate. A blanket bond or individual bonds shall be executed to the state with good and sufficient surety in an amount determined by the board, conditioned for the full and faithful performance and discharge of the inspector's duties. The bond shall be approved by and filed in the office of the board.

(c) The board may enter into cooperative agreements wherever economically feasible with the proper authorities of other states for the enforcement and implementation of the Wyoming brand laws. Brand inspections performed in accordance with such a cooperative agreement is a Wyoming brand inspection within the meaning of the brand inspection laws of this state. For purposes of this subsection, the brand inspection need not be performed by a Wyoming brand inspector.