16-3-101. Short title; definitions.

(a) This act may be cited as the "Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act".

(b) As used in this act:

(i) "Agency" means any authority, bureau, board, commission, department, division, officer or employee of the state, a county, city or town or other political subdivision of the state, except the governing body of a city or town, the state legislature, the University of Wyoming, the judiciary, the consensus revenue estimating group as defined in W.S. 9-2-1002 and the investment funds committee created by W.S. 9-4-720;

(ii) "Contested case" means a proceeding including but not restricted to ratemaking, price fixing and licensing, in which legal rights, duties or privileges of a party are required by law to be determined by an agency after an opportunity for hearing but excludes designations under W.S. 9-2-1022(h)(i);

(iii) "License" includes the whole or part of any agency permit, certificate, approval, registration, charter or similar form of permission required by law, but it does not include a license required solely for revenue purposes;

(iv) "Licensing" includes the agency process respecting the grant, denial, renewal, revocation, suspension, annulment, withdrawal or amendment of a license;

(v) "Local agency" means any agency with responsibilities limited to less than statewide jurisdiction, except the governing body of a city or town;

(vi) "Party" means each person or agency named or admitted as a party or properly seeking and entitled as of right to be admitted as a party;

(vii) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, municipality, governmental subdivision or public or private organization of any character other than an agency;

(viii) "Registrar of rules" for state agency rules means the secretary of state. "Registrar of rules" for local agency rules means the county clerk of the county in which the rule is to be effective;

(ix) "Rule" means each agency statement of general applicability that implements, interprets and prescribes law, policy or ordinances of cities and towns, or describes the organization, procedures, or practice requirements of any agency. The term includes the amendment or repeal of a prior rule, but does not include:

(A) Statements concerning only the internal management of an agency and not affecting private rights or procedures available to the public; or

(B) Rulings issued pursuant to W.S. 16-3-106; or

(C) Intraagency memoranda; or

(D) Agency decisions and findings in contested cases; or

(E) Rules concerning the use of public roads or facilities which are indicated to the public by means of signs and signals; or

(F) Ordinances of cities and towns; or

(G) Designations under W.S. 9-2-1022(h)(i); or

(H) A general permit.

(x) "State agency" means any agency with statewide responsibilities;

(xi) "General permit" means a permit issued by the department of environmental quality which authorizes a category or categories of discharges or emissions;

(xii) "Internet" means as defined in W.S. 9-2-1035(a)(iii);

(xiii) "This act" means W.S. 16-3-101 through 16-3-115.