MINUTES OF THE
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
Thursday, February 12, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. • 215 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Derrin R. Owens, Chair
Sen. Nate Blouin
Sen. David P. Hinkins
Sen. Scott D. Sandall
Sen. Jerry W Stevenson
Sen. Keven J. Stratton

Members Absent:
Sen. Keith Grover

Staff Present:
Julie Humberstone, Managing Policy Analyst
Cassie Sudekum, Committee Secretary

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

Chair Owens called the meeting to order at 02:09 PM.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to approve the minutes from the February 4, 2026, and February 9, 2026, meetings.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
1.S.R. 4 Resolution Encouraging the Integration of Agriculture into Residential Development(Sandall, S.)
Sen. Sandall presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to pass SR0004 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
2.H.B. 64 School and Institutional Trust Lands Amendments(Albrecht, C.)
Rep. Carl Albrecht presented the bill with the assistance of Michelle McConkie, Director, Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, and Leland Pollock, Chair, Garfield County Commission.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to amend HB0064 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Amendment 1

1 .        Line 3 through 10 :  Line 3 through 10
345678910

2 .        Line 11 through 17 :  Line 11 through 17
11121314151617

3 .        Line 55 through 59 :  Line 55 through 59
55565758 59

Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. Hinkins assumed the chair.
Kim Christy, Director, Utah Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to pass HB0064 as amended out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
3.H.B. 238 Utah Energy Generation and Transmission Planning(Albrecht, C.)
HB 238
Rep. Carl Albrecht presented the bill with the assistance of Jerry Fenn, Chair, Utah Public Service Commission, and Jon Cox.
MOTION:Sen. Blouin moved to replace HB0238 with HB0238S03.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. K. Stratton
Dan Dugan, Chair, Utah Renewable Communities, spoke in favor of the bill.
Thom Carter, Vice President of Government Affairs, Rocky Mountain Power, spoke in favor of the bill.
Nathaniel Johnson, Executive Director, Utah Rural Electric Cooperative Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
Gay Lynn Bennion, Mayor, Cottonwood Heights, spoke in favor of the bill.
Dylan Munn, resident, spoke to the bill.
Nathan Hole, resident, Davis County, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Blouin moved to pass HB0238S03 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Stevenson
Chair Owens resumed the chair.
4.H.B. 101 Firearm Background Check Amendments(Maloy, A. Cory)
Rep. A. Cory Maloy presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Stratton moved to amend HB0101 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Amendment 1

1 .        Line 71 through 82 :  Line 71 through 82
717273747576777879808182

Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Clark Aposhian, Chairman, Utah Shooting Sports Council, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to pass HB0101 as amended out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 3-1-3.
Yeas - 3Nays- 1Abs- 3
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
5.1st Sub. H.B. 60 Water Rights Amendments(Shallenberger, D.)
Rep. David Shallenberger presented the bill with the assistance of Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer and Director, Utah Division of Water Rights.
Brian Steed, Commissioner, Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner, spoke in favor of the bill.
Herbert Ley, resident, Millcreek, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Alta Fairbourne, Water Advocate, Utah Rivers Council, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Sarah Schear, pediatrician, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Jarom Gillins, resident, Utah County, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Brian Moench, doctor, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Caroline Joyce, doctor, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Conner Peterson, Director of Legislative and Government Affairs, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF), spoke in favor of the bill.
Pamela Cassidy, resident, Millcreek, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Justin Lee, Deputy Director, Utah League of Cities and Towns, spoke to the bill.
Steve Erickson, Great Basin Water Network, spoke to the bill.
Warren Peterson, Utah Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of the bill.
Travis Padilla, resident, West Point, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Erina Horikawa, doctor, Salt Lake City, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to pass HB0060S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-1-1.
Yeas - 5Nays- 1Abs- 1
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. K. Grover
6.1st Sub. H.B. 30 Wildlife Management Area Amendments(Shallenberger, D.)
Rep. Shallenberger presented the bill with the assistance of Chelsea Duke, Assistant Chief of Habitat, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
MOTION:Sen. Stratton moved to pass HB0030S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
7.H.B. 93 Goshen Bay Waterfowl Management Area(Welton, D.)
Rep. Doug Welton presented the bill with the assistance of Sam Brager, Deputy Director, Utah Lake Authority.
Chelsea Duke, Assistant Chief of Habitat, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, spoke in favor of the bill.
Matt Anderson, Director, Utah Sportsmen's Caucus, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Stratton moved to pass HB0093 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
8.1st Sub. H.B. 37 Used Oil Management Act Amendments(Chew, S.)
HB 238
Rep. Scott Chew presented the bill with the assistance of Ted Sonnenburg, Director, Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control, Utah Department of Environmental Quality.
MOTION:Sen. Stratton moved to amend HB0037S01 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Amendment 1

1 .        Line 38 through 45 :  Line 38 through 45
3839404142 434445

Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
MOTION:Sen. Stratton moved to pass HB0037S01 as amended out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
9.H.B. 63 Livestock Watering Amendments(Chew, S.)
Rep. Chew presented the bill with the assistance of Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer and Director, Utah Division of Water Rights.
Terry Camp, Vice President of Public Policy, Utah Farm Bureau Federation, spoke in favor of the bill.
Conner Peterson, Director of Legislative and Government Affairs, UDAF, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to pass HB0063 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Chair Owens adjourned the meeting at 04:13 PM.