MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
Friday, February 16, 2024 • 8:00 a.m. • 120 Senate Building


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

Members Absent:
Speaker Mike Schultz
Rep. Keven J. Stratton

Staff Present:
Charley Hart, Policy Analyst
Tisha Gibby, 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 at 8:05 a.m.
MOTION:Rep. Shipp moved to approve the February 14, 2024 minutes.The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-6.
Yeas - 8Nays- 0Abs- 6
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. K. Stratton
1.H.B. 496 Public Land Use Amendments (Albrecht, C.)
Rep. Carl Albrecht presented the bill with the assistance of Redge Johnson, Executive Director, Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office.
Marlo Oaks, State Treasurer, spoke in favor of the bill.
Rikki Hrenko-Browning, President, Utah Petroleum Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
Wade Garrett, Vice President, Utah Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Randy Parker, member of the Board of Directors, Salt Lake County Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Caitlin Curry, Vice Chair, Utah Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Snider moved to amend H.B. 496 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-3.
Amendment 1
H.B. 496
1 .        Page 5, Line 142 through Page 6, Line 152 :  Page 5, Line 142 through Page 6, Line 152
142                 (1) (a) "Conservation lease" means a lease on a parcel of public land that:
143                 (i) restricts the use of the parcel for the sole or primary purpose of preserving or
144         protecting the land or the land's natural resources;
145                 (ii) prohibits the extraction of the land's natural resources; or
146                 (iii) is managed according to an agreement that contradicts the principles of multiple
147         use and sustained yield, including the multiple-use, sustained-yield principles in the Federal
148         Land Policy and Management Act, 43 U.S.C. 1732, and the National Forest Management Act,
149         16 U.S.C. 1604.
150                 (b) "Conservation lease" includes a lease that is { substantially } wholly or partially similar to a lease
151         described in Subsection (1)(a).
152                 (c) "Conservation lease" does not include a conservation easement, as that term is

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. C. Snider
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. K. Stratton
MOTION:Rep. Snider moved to pass H.B. 496 out favorably as amended.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. C. Snider
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. K. Stratton
2.H.B. 522 Veterinarian Education Loan Repayment Program Amendments (Albrecht, C.)
Rep. Albrecht presented the bill.
Craig Buttars, Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Food, spoke in favor of the bill.
Wade Garrett, Utah Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Daniel Christensen, State Veterinarian, spoke in favor of the bill.
Peter Gessel, livestock owner, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Peterson moved to pass H.B. 522 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
3.1st Sub. S.B. 75 Mineral Amendments (Owens, D.R.)
Sen. Derrin Owens presented the bill with the assistance of Brian Somers, President, Utah Mining Association.
Carmen Valdez, Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, spoke against the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Watkins moved to replace 1st Substitute S.B. 75 with 3rd Substitute S.B. 75.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-3.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 3
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. C. Snider
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. K. Stratton
MOTION:Rep. Watkins moved to pass 3rd Substitute S.B. 75 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 9-1-4.
Yeas - 9Nays- 1Abs- 4
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. K. Stratton
4.1st Sub. S.B. 125 Secondary Water Amendments (Hinkins, D.)
Sen. David Hinkins presented the bill.
Wade Garrett, Utah Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Leland Pollock, Garfield County Commissioner, spoke in favor of the bill.
Joel Williams, Utah Division of Water Resources, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Owens moved to amend 1st Substitute S.B. 125 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-3.
Amendment 1
1st Sub. S.B. 125
1 .        Page 9, Lines 261 through 265 :  Page 9, Lines 261 through 265
261         but shall meter at strategic points of the system as approved by the state engineer under this
262         Subsection (13) if:
263                 (i) the system has no or minimal storage and relies primarily on stream flow;
264                 (ii) (A) the majority of secondary water users on the system are associated with
265         agriculture use or power generation use; and

Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 3
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. C. Snider
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. K. Stratton
MOTION:Rep. Owens moved to pass 1st Substitute S.B. 125 out favorably as amended.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-3.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 3
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. C. Snider
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. K. Stratton
5.H.J.R. 27 Joint Resolution Encouraging Water-efficient Landscaping Ordinances for New Construction (Owens, D.)
Rep. Owens presented the resolution.
Tim Davis, Deputy Great Salt Lake Commissioner, spoke in favor of the resolution.
Alan Packard, General Manager, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, spoke in favor of the resolution.
Joel Williams, Deputy Director, Utah Division of Water Resources, spoke in favor of the resolution.
MOTION:Rep. Bennion moved to pass H.J.R. 27 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-5.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 5
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. K. Stratton
MOTION:Rep. Shipp moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-5.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 5
Rep. G. Bennion
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. S. Lund
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. T. Jimenez
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. C. Snider
Rep. K. Stratton
Chair Brooks adjourned the meeting at 9:11 a.m.
NOTE: H.B. 0401 was not discussed in the meeting.