MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
Tuesday, February 6, 2018 • 3:40 p.m. • 445 State Capitol


Members Present:
Rep. Keven J. Stratton, Chair
Rep. Carl R. Albrecht, Vice Chair
Rep. Joel K. Briscoe
Rep. Scott H. Chew
Rep. Susan Duckworth
Rep. Stephen G. Handy
Rep. Timothy D. Hawkes
Rep. Michael E. Noel
Rep. Derrin R. Owens
Rep. Douglas V. Sagers
Rep. Scott D. Sandall
Rep. Christine F. Watkins

Members Absent:
Rep. Stewart E. Barlow

Staff Present:
Mr. J Brian Allred, Policy Analyst
Ms. Linda Service, Committee Secretary

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.

Chair Stratton called the meeting to order at 3:41 p.m.
Vice Chair Albrecht assumed the chair.
1. H.B. 136 Federal Designations (Noel, M.)
Rep. Noel explained the bill.
Chair Stratton resumed the chair.
Mr. Lincoln Shurtz, Utah Association of Counties, spoke for the bill.
Mr. Willie Grayeyes, Chair, Utah Dine' Bikeyah, San Juan County, spoke against the bill.
Mr. John Hiskey, Senior Advisor, Utah League of Cities and Towns, spoke to the bill.
MOTION: Rep. Watkins moved to replace H.B. 136 with 1st Substitute H.B. 136. The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-1.
Yeas - 12Nays-0Abs-1
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. S. Sandall
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Barlow
MOTION: Rep. Watkins moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 136 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 11-1-1.
Yeas - 11Nays-1Abs-1
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. S. Sandall
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Barlow
2. H.B. 172 Greenbelt Amendments (Wilde, L.)
Vice Chair Albrecht resumed the chair.
Rep. Wilde explained the bill.
MOTION: Rep. Chew moved to replace H.B. 172 with 1st Substitute H.B. 172. The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-4.
Yeas - 9Nays-0Abs-4
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. S. Sandall
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Barlow
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. K. Stratton
MOTION: Rep. Chew moved to amend 1st Substitute H.B. 172 with Amendment #1. The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-3.
Amendment 1
1st Sub. H.B. 172
Page 2, Lines 44 through 45 
44
                (ii) the timing for implementation and termination of the bona fide range improvement
45
        program , together with a description of the proposed activity on the land when the land is returned to agricultural use ; and

Yeas - 10Nays-0Abs-3
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. S. Sandall
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Barlow
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. T. Hawkes
Mr. Kevin Jacobs, Salt Lake County Assessor, Assessors Association, spoke to the bill.
Mr. Sterling Brown, Utah Farm Bureau, spoke for the bill.
Rep. Hawkes moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 172 out favorably as amended.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Rep. Sandall moved to go to the next item on the agenda. The Substitute motion passed with a vote of 9-3-1.
Yeas - 9Nays-3Abs-1
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. S. Sandall
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. S. Barlow
3. H.B. 214 Agricultural Advisory Board Amendments (McKell, M.)
Rep. McKell explained the bill assisted by Mr. Scott Ericson, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Food.
MOTION: Rep. Watkins moved to pass H.B. 214 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-1.
Yeas - 12Nays-0Abs-1
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. S. Sandall
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Barlow
4. H.B. 216 Jordan River Recreation Area (Winder, M.)
Rep. Winder explained the bill assisted by Mr. Soren Simonsen, Jordan River Commission, and Mr. Brian Cottam, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, Department of Natural Resources.
Mr. Jon Cox, Rocky Mountain Power, spoke for the bill.
Mr. Brant Barlow, Eagle Forum, spoke to the bill.
Chair Stratton resumed the chair.
MOTION: Rep. Handy moved to replace H.B. 216 with 2nd Substitute H.B. 216. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-2.
Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Barlow
Rep. S. Sandall
MOTION: Rep. Owens moved to amend 2nd Substitute H.B. 216 with Amendment #1. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-2.
Amendment 1
2nd Sub. H.B. 216
Page 4, Lines 93 through 98 
93
                The Legislature intends that the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands use up to
94
        10% of appropriated funds on administrative functions and then spend remaining funds
95
        appropriated under this section to implement the programs described in Section 65A-2-8, with
96
        half the remaining money appropriated expended on the programs described in Subsections
97
        65A-2-8(2)(a) (i) through { (d) } (iv) and half of the remaining money appropriated expended on the
98
        programs described in Subsections 65A-2-8(2) { (e) } (a)(v) and { (f) } (vi) .

Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Barlow
Rep. S. Sandall
MOTION: Rep. Owens moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 216 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-2.
Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Barlow
Rep. S. Sandall
5. H.B. 153 Homestead Exemption Amendments (Stratton, K.)
Vice Chair Albrecht resumed the chair.
Rep. Stratton explained the bill.
Mr. Stephen Rupp, citizen, spoke to the bill.
MOTION: Rep. Handy moved to amend H.B. 153 with Amendment #1. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-2.
Amendment 1
H.B. 153
Page 2, Lines 40 through 45 
40
                (2) (a) An individual is entitled to a homestead exemption consisting of property in this
41
        state in an amount not exceeding:
42
                (i) $5,000 in value if the property consists in whole or in part of property [which] that is
43
        not the primary personal residence of the individual; or
44
                (ii) [$30,000] { $200,000 } $45,000 in value if the property claimed is the primary personal
45
        residence of the individual.

Page 2, Lines 46 through 51 
46
                (b) If the property claimed as exempt is jointly owned, each joint owner is entitled to a
47
        homestead exemption[; however(i)], except that:
48
                (i) for property exempt under Subsection (2)(a)(i), the maximum exemption may not
49
        exceed $10,000 per household; or
50
                (ii) for property exempt under Subsection (2)(a)(ii), the maximum exemption may not
51
        exceed [$60,000] { $300,000 } $90,000 per household.

Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. S. Sandall
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Barlow
Rep. D. Sagers
MOTION: Rep. Duckworth moved to pass H.B. 153 out favorably as amended. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-2.
Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. S. Sandall
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Barlow
Rep. D. Sagers
MOTION: Rep. Owens moved to adjourn. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-2.
Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. Noel
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. S. Sandall
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Barlow
Rep. D. Sagers
Vice Chair Albrecht adjourned the meeting at 6:02 p.m..