HB 185 proposed giving ranchers the ability to call on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to remove any antlerless elk suspected of having brucellosis from private property within a 50-mile radius of any antlerless elk feeding area.

The Game and Fish, upon notification from the rancher, would immediately "capture or cause the antlerless elk to be removed from private property."

The bill’s proponents feared that without some action regarding potential contact between wildlife and cattle, Wyoming could lose its federally-designated status as a brucellosis-free state.

The brucellosis-free status enables ranchers to ship cattle across state lines without testing for brucellosis. Proponents of HB 185 pointed out that loss of the brucellosis-free status would mean ranchers would have to assume the additional financial burden of testing for brucellosis.

Opponents of HB 185 pointed to the lack of scientific evidence demonstrating that brucellosis can actually be transmitted from wildlife to cattle.

Furthermore, several longtime ranching families from western Wyoming testified that it costs significantly less to inoculate cattle against brucellosis than to remove elk. They also noted that they have vaccinated their cattle for years and never had any problem with brucellosis.

Testimony on HB 185 indicated that approximately 40,000 elk from the Jackson, Afton, Star Valley, South Wind River, and Green River herds were potentially affected by the bill. Opponents therefore argued that the limited funding for "capture and removal" really meant killing "suspect" elk. (The annual cost to the Game and Fish Department was estimated at $175,000 to $200,000.)

HB 185 failed on third reading in the House, 29-30 (1 excused). However, the bill was resurrected the following day when Rep. Clarene Law (R-H23, Jackson) moved for reconsideration. Upon reconsideration, the bill passed 32-28.

Representatives changing their votes on reconsideration were: Bruce Burns (R-H51, Sheridan), Rick Badgett (R-H29, Sheridan) and Cale Case (R-H54, Lander), all yes to no; Charles Hessenthaler (R-H26, Byron), Wayne Johnson (R-H9, Cheyenne), Tony Ross (R-H7, Cheyenne), and Louie Tomassi (R-H20, Big Piney) all no to yes. Rep. Larry Meuli (R-H8, Cheyenne), who had been excused from the previous vote, also added a "yes" vote, providing the margin of victory.

The bill was assigned to the Senate Agriculture, Public Lands & Water Resources Committee, where it passed on a 3-2 vote. From there, it went to the Senate Appropriations Committee, which amended HB 185 to change the source of funding from the Game and Fish Department to the Livestock Board.

HB 185 subsequently died on general file in the Senate (was not brought up for debate).