MINUTES OF THE
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
Thursday, January 19, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. • 215 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Ronald M. Winterton, Chair
Sen. Nate Blouin
Sen. David G. Buxton
Sen. Keith Grover
Sen. Derrin R. Owens
Sen. Stephanie Pitcher
Sen. Scott D. Sandall
Sen. Evan J. Vickers

Staff Present:
Julie Humberstone, Policy Analyst
Makelle Wininger, Committee Secretary

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

Chair Winterton called the meeting to order at 2:02 pm.
1.S.B. 28 Radon Related Amendments (Sandall, S.)
Sen. Sandall presented the bill.
Jordan Mathis, Director, Bear River Health Department, commented on the bill.
Kerri Robbins, private citizen, commented on the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to hold S.B. 28 with further discussion from the committee.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. D. Owens
2.S.B. 53 Groundwater Use Amendments (Vickers, E.)
Sen. Vickers presented the bill.
Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer, Utah Department of Natural Resources, spoke in favor of the bill.
Warren Peterson, Advisor, Utah Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Steve Erickson, Executive Director, Great Basin Water Networks, commented on the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Grover moved to pass S.B. 53 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
Yeas - 8Nays- 0Abs- 0
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
3.S.B. 61 Livestock Collision Amendments (Owens, D.R.)
Sen. Owens presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Owens moved to replace S.B. 61 with 1st Substitute S.B. 61.
Terry Camp, Vice President of Public Policy, Utah Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Brent Tanner, Executive Vice President, Utah Cattlemen's Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
Craig Buttars, Commissioner, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, spoke in favor of the bill.
Tammy Pearson, Commissioner, Beaver County, spoke in favor of the bill.
Leland Pollock, Commissioner, Garfield County, spoke in favor of the bill.
Nathan Anderson, Director of Public Affairs, Union Pacific Railroads, commented on the bill.
Sen. Owens' motion to replace S.B. 61 with 1st Substitute S.B. 61 passed with a vote 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Pitcher
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to pass 1st Substitute S.B. 61 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Pitcher
4.S.B. 62 Hydrogen Amendments (Hinkins, D.)
Sen. David Hinkins presented the bill.
Warren Peterson commented on the bill.
Chelcie Hope, private citizen, commented on the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Grover moved to pass S.B. 62 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Pitcher
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to approve the minutes of February 25th and March 1st, 2022.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Pitcher
5.S.B. 76 Water Amendments (Sandall, S.)
Sen. Sandall presented the bill with the assistance of Tim Davis, Director, Utah Division of Drinking Water.
Kelly Pehrson, Deputy Commissioner, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, spoke in favor of the bill.
Warren Peterson spoke in favor of the bill.
Steve Clyde, Utah Water Task Force, spoke in favor of the bill.
Chelcie Hope commented on the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to pass S.B. 76 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Pitcher
6.S.B. 50 Weapon Purchase Amendments (Riebe, K.)
Sen. Kathleen Riebe presented the bill.
Larry Scanlan, President, Utah Rifle and Pistol Association, spoke against the bill.
Leland Pollock spoke against the bill.
Neca Allgood, Board Member, Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.
Kael Weston, private citizen, spoke in favor of the bill.
Cynthia Zumwalt, fire arm instructor, Utah Shooting Sports Council (USSC); Facilitator, A Girl and a Gun; Advocate, Women For Gun Rights; spoke against the bill.
Clark Aposhian, Chairman, USSC; Representative, National Rifle Association; spoke against the bill.
Chelcie Hope commented on the bill.
Jay Larson, private citizen, spoke in favor of the bill.
Leif Erbs, private citizen, spoke against the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Pitcher moved to pass S.B. 50 out favorably.The motion failed with a vote of 2-6-0.
Yeas - 2Nays- 6Abs- 0
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
MOTION:Sen. Grover moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
Yeas - 8Nays- 0Abs- 0
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Chair Winterton adjourned the meeting at 3:44 pm.
NOTE: S.B. 0059, S.B. 0068, S.B. 0069 were not discussed in the meeting.