MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
Monday, January 30, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. • 120 Senate Building


Members Present:
Rep. Walt Brooks, Chair
Rep. Steven J. Lund, Vice Chair
Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion
Rep. Bridger Bolinder
Rep. Scott H. Chew
Rep. Tim Jimenez
Rep. Michael L. Kohler
Rep. Doug Owens
Rep. Thomas W. Peterson
Rep. Rex P. Shipp
Rep. Casey Snider
Rep. Keven J. Stratton
Rep. Christine F. Watkins

Members Absent:
Rep. Mike Schultz

Staff Present:
Charley Hart, Policy Analyst
Ashley Dibble, Committee Secretary

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
Chair Brooks called the meeting to order.
MOTION:Rep. Watkins moved to approve the minutes.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-7.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 7
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. K. Stratton
1.H.B. 187 Veterinary Practice Amendments (Kohler, M.)
Rep. Kohler presented the bill.
Terry Camp, Vice President - Public Policy, UT Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Dr. Bryant Taylor, Owner, Lone Cedar Veterinary Services, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Dr. Susan Benson, President, UT Veterinary Medical Association, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Dena Long, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Conley Moon, Producer, Cattleman Duchesne County, spoke in favor of the bill.
Dr. Phillip Firth, Veterinarian, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Charles Hansen, Owner, 4c Dairy, spoke in favor of the bill.
Kaleb Bateman, Producer, Bateman Mosida Farm, spoke in favor of the bill.
Brock Johansen, Owner, Jo Bulls, LLC, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Lund moved to pass H.B. 187 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 11-1-2.
Yeas - 11Nays- 1Abs- 2
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. C. Snider
2.H.B. 221 Fodder Production Systems Grant Program (Birkeland, K.)
Rep. Birkeland presented the bill w/ assistance of Morgan Lyman, Conservation Wildlife & Livestock Manager, Maddox Ranch House, & Kelly Pehrson, Dept. Director, UDAF.
3 Fodder Production System Presentation
Amber Brown, Legislative Director, UDAF, spoke to the bill.
Mike Tyler, Political Action Committee, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Chew moved to replace H.B. 221 with 1st Substitute H.B. 221.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-2.
Yeas - 12Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. K. Stratton
MOTION:Rep. Chew moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 221 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-2.
Yeas - 12Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. K. Stratton
3.H.B. 261 Fire Related Amendments (Snider, C.)
Rep. Snider presented the bill w/ assistance of Jamie Barnes, Division Forest Fire & State Lands.
Rylee Pilgrim, 2nd Vice President, Utah State Fire Chiefs, spoke in favor of the bill.
Wade Garrett, UT Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Connor Peterson, Senior Policy Analyst, UDAF, spoke in favor of the bill.
Mike Tyler, Political Action Committee, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Stratton moved to amend H.B. 261 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-1.
Amendment 1
H.B. 261
1 .        Page 7, Line 198 through Page 8, Line 229 :  Page 7, Line 198 through Page 8, Line 229
198                 [(2)] (3) During the closed fire season [it is], an individual is guilty of a class { B } C
199         misdemeanor [to set] if the individual sets on fire, or [cause] causes to be set on fire[, any
200         flammable material on any]:
201                 (a) (i) a forest[,];
202                 (ii) brush[,];
203                 (iii) range[, grass, grain, stubble, or hay land];
204                 (iv) a field;
205                 (v) cultivated land; or
206                 (vi) a debris pile; and
207                 (b) without:
208                 [(a)] (i) first securing a written permit from the state forester or a [designated] deputy
209         designated by the state forester; [and]
210                 [(b)] (ii) complying fully with [the terms and conditions prescribed by] the permit[.]
211         described in Subsection (3)(b)(i); and
212                 (iii) first notifying the applicable public safety answering point of the approximate time
213         the burning will occur.
214                 (4) During a period when a Red Flag Warning is issued, an individual is guilty of a
215         class { B } C misdemeanor if the individual sets on fire, or causes to be set on fire:
216                 (a) (i) a forest;
217                 (ii) brush;
218                 (iii) range;
219                 (iv) a field;
220                 (v) cultivated land;
221                 (vi) a fence line;
222                 (vii) a canal; or
223                 (viii) an irrigation ditch; and
224                 (b) without:
225                 (i) first securing a written permit from the state forester or a deputy designated by the
226         state forester;
227                 (ii) complying fully with the permit described in Subsection (4)(b)(i); and
228                 (iii) first notifying the applicable public safety answering point of the approximate time
229         the burning will occur.

2 .        Page 9, Lines 245 through 258 :  Page 9, Lines 245 through 258
245                 [(6)] (8) (a) [A] Except for during a Red Flag Warning as described in Subsection
246         (4)(a), a burning permit is not required:
247                 (i) for the burning within 10 feet of:
248                 (A) fence lines on cultivated lands[,];
249                 (B) the banks of canals[,]; or
250                 (C) the banks of irrigation ditches; and
251                 (ii) if:
252                 [(i)] (A) the burning does not pose a threat to forest, range, or watershed lands;
253                 [(ii)] (B) due care is used in the control of the burning; and
254                 [(iii)] (C) the individual notifies the [nearest fire department] applicable public safety
255         answering point of the approximate time the burning will occur.
256                 (b) [Failure] For a burning with or without a permit, an individual is guilty of a class { B } C
257         misdemeanor if the individual fails to notify the [nearest fire department] applicable public
258         safety answering point of [the] a burning as required by this section [is a class B misdemeanor].

Yeas - 13Nays- 0Abs- 1
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. M. Schultz
MOTION:Rep. Owens moved to pass H.B. 261 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-1.
Yeas - 13Nays- 0Abs- 1
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. M. Schultz
4.H.B. 222 Bison Amendments (Watkins, C.)
Rep. Watkins presented the bill w/ assistance of Troy Forrest, Division Director, UT Grazing Improvement Program & J. Shirley, Director, UT Division of Wildlife resources.
Don Peay, Sportsman for Fish & Wildlife, UT Wild Sheep Foundation, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Dena Long, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Bennion moved to hold H.B. 222.The motion passed with a vote of 12-1-1.
Yeas - 12Nays- 1Abs- 1
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. M. Schultz
5.H.B. 257 Greenbelt Property Amendments (Kyle, J)
Rep. Kyle presented the bill.
Terry Camp, Vice President - Public Policy, UT Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Mark Stratford, General Counsel, Jordan Valley Water, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Lund moved to pass H.B. 257 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-4.
Yeas - 10Nays- 0Abs- 4
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. K. Stratton
6.H.B. 150 Emergency Water Shortages Amendments (Albrecht, C.)
Rep. Albrecht presented the bill w/ assistance of Theresa Wilhelmsen, Director, Divisional Water Rights, Rep. Ferry, Director, Dept. of Natural Resources, & Warren Peterson, Attorney.
Bernadette Brockman, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Mike Brown, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Kevin Stallard, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Holly McClure, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Mike Tyler, Political Action Committee, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Dena Long, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Craig Butters, Commissioner, UDAF, spoke in favor of the bill.
Laurel Fetzer, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Heather Fannen, Constitutional Defense of UT, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Wade Garrett, UT Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Lisa Christensen Jackson, Chair, Constitutional Party of Weber County, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Samuel Fisher, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Mark Stratford, General Counsel, Jordan Valley Water, spoke in favor of the bill.
Brian Steed, Executive Director, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water & Air spoke in favor of the bill.
Julie S., resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Warren Peterson, Attorney, spoke in favor of the bill.
Cristy Bulkley, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Wendy Hart, resident, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Owens moved to replace H.B. 150 with 1st Substitute H.B. 150.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-3.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 3
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. C. Snider
MOTION:Rep. Kohler moved to hold 1st Substitute H.B. 150.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION:Rep. Shipp moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 150 out favorably.The substitute motion passed with a vote of 9-2-3.
Yeas - 9Nays- 2Abs- 3
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. Stratton raised a point of order.
MOTION:Rep. Stratton moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-3.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 3
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. C. Snider
Chair Brooks adjourned the meeting.