MINUTES OF THE HOUSE

NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 445, State Capitol

February 2, 2016

Members Present:                Rep. Lee B. Perry, Chair

                                                Rep. Douglas V. Sagers, Vice Chair

                                                Rep. Joel K. Briscoe

                                                Rep. Melvin R. Brown

                                                Rep. Scott H. Chew

                                                Rep. Susan Duckworth

                                                Rep. Stephen G. Handy

                                                Rep. Timothy D. Hawkes

                                                Rep. Mike K. McKell

                                                Rep. Michael E. Noel

                                                Rep. Derrin Owens

                                                Rep. Kraig Powell

                                                Rep. Scott D. Sandall

                                                Rep. Mike Schultz      

Staff Present:                        J Brian Allred, Policy Analyst

An Bradshaw, Committee Secretary

NOTE:     A list of visitors and handouts are filed with committee minutes

Vice Chair Sagers called the meeting to order at 2:09 p.m.

MOTION:     Rep. Perry moved to approve the minutes of the January 28, 2016 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Handy, Rep. McKell,

                        Rep. Noel, Rep. Owens, and Rep. Powell absent for the vote.

H.B. 126         Unmanned Aircraft Revisions (Rep. K. Powell)

The bill was not heard.

H.C.R. 5         Concurrent Resolution Recognizing the 100-year Anniversary of Our National Parks (Rep. J. Fawson)

Rep. Fawson explained the resolution to the committee with the assistance of Vicky Varela, Director, Office of Tourism, Film and Global Branding.

MOTION:     Rep. Noel moved to replace HCR5 with 1st Sub. HCR5. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Handy, Rep. McKell, and Rep. Powell absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Noel moved to pass 1st Sub. HCR5 out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Handy, Rep. McKell, and Rep. Powell absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Noel moved to place 1st Sub. HCR5 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Handy, Rep. McKell, and

                        Rep. Powell absent for the vote.

H.B. 194         Milk Sales Amendments (Rep. J. Anderegg)

Rep. Anderegg explained the bill to the committee. LuAnn Adams, Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Food, answered questions from the committee and spoke in support of the bill.

Spoke for the bill:       Sterling Brown, Utah Farm Bureau

                                    Mike Kohler, Dairy Producers of Utah

                                    Dave Davis, Utah Retail Merchants Association and Utah Food Industry                                     Association

MOTION:     Rep. Perry moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe and Rep. Handy absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. McKell moved to place the bill on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe and Rep. Handy absent for the vote.

H.B. 211         Agricultural Exemption Amendments (Rep. L. Perry)

Rep. Perry explained the bill to the committee with the assistance of LuAnn Adams, Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Food.

MOTION:     Rep. Perry moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 3, Lines 72 through 74:   

72   Perimeter fencing intended to hold bison shall meet the following minimum standards:

73   (1) fence sections and gates shall:

74   (a) reach a height of at least {  eight  }  six  feet above ground level; and

2.    Page 3, Lines 80 through 84:   

80   (2) fence posts shall:

81   (a) (i) be constructed of treated wood at least four inches in diameter; and

82   (ii) be constructed of a material with the strength equivalent of the material described

83in Subsection 2(a)(i);

84   (b) reach a height of at least {  eight  }  six  feet  , two inches  above ground level;

3.    Page 4, Lines 90 through 94:   

90   (a) be constructed of treated wood or steel;

91   (b) be installed at intervals of no more than 10 feet from any fence post;  and 

92   (c) reach a height of at least {  eight  }  six  feet  , two inches  above ground level {  ; and

93   (d) have at least two feet of length below ground level.  }  . 

94   Section 4. Section 4-32-3 is amended to read:

The motion passed unanimously with Rep.Briscoe, Rep. Handy, and Rep. McKell absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Sandall moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe and Rep. Handy absent for the vote.

H.B. 169         Little Sahara State Park Designation (Rep. S. Eliason)

Rep. Owens explained the bill to the committee. Jeff Rasmussen, Deputy Director, Division of Parks and Recreation, answered questions from the committee.

Spoke to the bill:        Kim Christy, Deputy Director, School and Institutional Trust Lands                                    Administration

                                   Sterling Brown, Utah Farm Bureau

MOTION:     Rep. Brown moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Line 13:  

13United States Bureau of Land Management to {  use  }  acquire  the Little Sahara Recreation Area

2.    Page 2, Line 32:  

32   (a) enter into an agreement {  for the use of  }  to acquire  the Little Sahara Recreation Area as a state

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Powell and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Noel moved to hold the bill. The motion passed unanimously with

                       Rep. McKell, Rep. Powell, and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Noel moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously with

                       Rep. McKell, Rep. Powell, and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

Vice Chair Sagers adjourned the meeting at 3:32 p.m.

Rep. Lee B. Perry, Chair