16-1-104. Joint powers, functions and facilities; city-county airport board; eligible senior citizen centers; cooperative public transportation programs.

(a) Any power, privilege or authority exercised or capable of being exercised by an agency may be exercised and enjoyed jointly with any other agency having a similar power, privilege or authority. No cost shall be incurred, debt accrued, nor money expended by any contracting party, which will be in excess of limits prescribed by law. If the joint business council of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Indian tribes, the business council of the Eastern Shoshone Indian tribe or the business council of the Northern Arapaho Indian tribe participates in a joint powers board under this act with political subdivisions and special districts of Wyoming, the powers of the joint business council, the powers of the business council of the Eastern Shoshone Indian tribe, the powers of the business council of the Northern Arapaho Indian tribe, Wyoming political subdivisions and Wyoming special districts are neither increased or decreased by that participation. Rather the participation of the joint business council, the business council of the Eastern Shoshone Indian tribe or the business council of the Northern Arapaho Indian tribe is intended to facilitate implementation of programs and projects designed to more effectively benefit Wyoming's citizens.

(b) A county may enter into and operate under a joint powers agreement with one (1) or more counties, cities, school districts or community college districts for the performance of any function that the county, city, school district or community college district is authorized to perform, except the planning, expansion, creation, financing or operation of municipally owned electrical facilities.

(c) Specifically, without limiting but subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, two (2) or more agencies may jointly plan, own, lease, assign, sell, create, expand, finance and operate:

(i) Water including surface water drainage, sewerage, water and soil conservation or solid waste facilities;

(ii) Recreational facilities;

(iii) Police protection agency facilities;

(iv) Fire protection agency facilities;

(v) Transportation systems facilities, including airports;

(vi) Public school facilities;

(vii) Community college facilities;

(viii) Hospital and related medical facilities;

(ix) Courthouse and jail or administrative office facilities;

(x) Public health facilities;

(xi) Electrical systems owned by municipalities prior to March 1, 1975;

(xii) Rights-of-way for electric transmission systems, oil and natural gas pipelines, telecommunications and utilities. Any right-of-way acquired under the provisions of this subsection shall follow an existing utility corridor whenever practical;

(xiii) Municipal natural gas facilities and systems.

(d) Any city-county airport board heretofore organized and operating pursuant to W.S. 10-5-101 through 10-5-204 shall be deemed a joint powers board, and shall not be required to reorganize as provided for by W.S. 16-1-106(a) but is subject to all other provisions of this act.

(e) A governing body of an eligible senior citizen center may enter into a joint powers agreement under this act in order to participate in the local government self-insurance program as provided in W.S. 1-42-201 through 1-42-206. An eligible senior citizen center which enters into a joint powers agreement pursuant to this subsection shall be bound by all provisions of the agreement, but shall not be entitled to participate as a member of the joint powers board.

(f) An agency may enter into an agreement with any governmental entity of another state, as defined in W.S. 1-39-103(a)(viii), for purposes of operating a cooperative public transportation program to transport passengers on one (1) or more routes beginning in, ending in or passing through Wyoming. Any agreement entered into under this subsection shall only apply to the operation of a cooperative public transportation program and shall be conditioned upon the other state extending or agreeing to extend its governmental immunity or other limitations of liability to any governmental entity of Wyoming while operating a cooperative public transportation program. As used in this subsection, "cooperative public transportation program" means a not-for-profit program designed to transport passengers to and from work or to another location on a regularly scheduled basis using vehicles operated by an agency or a governmental entity of another state.