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NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, & ENVIRONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
Members Present: Rep. Roger E. Barrus, Chair
Rep. John Mathis, Vice Chair
Rep. Mel Brown
Rep. Brad Dee
Rep. Jack Draxler
Rep. Kerry Gibson
Rep. James Gowans
Rep. Neal Hendrickson
Rep. Mike Noel
Rep. Patrick Painter
Rep. Phil Riesen
Rep. Christine Watkins
Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox
Rep. Brad Winn
Staff Present: Brian Allred, Policy Analyst
Carrie Griffith, Committee Secretary
Note: List of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with committee minutes
Rep. Barrus called the meeting to order at 2:03 p.m.
MOTION: Rep. Riesen moved to approve the minutes of the January 30, 2009 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Brown, Rep. Dee and Rep. Gowans absent for the vote.
H.B. 241 Priority of Water Rights (Rep. K. Gibson)
Rep. Gibson explained the bill to the committee.
Spoke for the bill: Mike Styler, Director Department of Natural Resources
Todd Bingham, Utah Farm Bureau
Spoke against the bill: Fred Finlinson, Utah Water Coalition
Pat Casaday, Sandy City
Scott Ruppe, Uintah Water Conservancy District
Jodi Hoffman, Utah League of Cities and Towns
Craig Smith, lawyer representing several public water suppliers
MOTION: Rep. Noel moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Hendrickson, Rep. Painter and Rep. Riesen voting in opposition.
Rep. Barrus recognized and welcomed to the meeting Boyd Clayton, acting State Engineer and Kent Jones, the newly nominated State Engineer.
H.B. 278 B and C Roads Fund Amendments (Rep. M. Noel)
MOTION: Rep. Noel moved to amend the bill as follows:
1. Page 1, Lines 13 through 15 :
13 . provides that a county or municipality may use up to 30% of the class B and class C
14 roads account funds allocated to the county or municipality to pay the costs of
15 asserting, defending, or litigating state and local government rights under R.S. 2477
on
class B, class C, or class D roads
;
2. Page 2, Lines 34 through 36 :
34 (2) use up to 30% of the class B and class C roads account funds allocated to the
35 county or municipality to pay the costs of asserting, defending, or litigating state and local
36 government rights under R.S. 2477
on class B, class C, or class D roads
.
The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Mathis absent for the vote.
Rep. Noel explained the bill to the committee.
Spoke for the bill: Todd Bingham, Utah Farm Bureau
Mike Swenson, Utah Shared Access Alliance
MOTION: Rep. Gibson moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Dee absent for the vote.
H.B. 105 Department of Agriculture and Food Amendments (Rep. J. Mathis)
Rep. Mathis explained the bill to the committee.
MOTION: Rep. Winn moved to amend the bill as follows:
1. Page 2, Line 30 :
30 (1) approve and make a
{
farm
}
[loans] loan
to a farm or agricultural
cooperative association regulated under Title 3, General Provisions Relating to
Agricultural Associations,
subject to Section
4-19-3
, including:
The motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: Rep. Gibson moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Noel absent for the vote.
H.B. 94 State Parks Fee Exemption for Seniors (Rep. R. Greenwood) (handout)
Rep. Greenwood explained the bill to the committee.
Spoke for the bill: Robert Dabling, Farr West representing senior citizens across the State
Bill Rigby, citizen
Spoke against the bill: Eric Stucki, Utah State Parks, Legislative liaison
Mike Styler, Director Department of Natural Resources
MOTION: Rep. moved to pass the bill out favorably.
SUBSTITUTE
MOTION: Rep. Dee moved to adjourn. The motion failed with Rep. Dee and Rep. Riesen voting in the affirmative. Rep. Draxler, Rep. Noel and Rep. Winn were absent for the vote.
The original motion passed with Rep. Barrus, Rep. Mathis, Rep. Riesen and Rep. Watkins voting in opposition. Rep. Draxler, Rep. Noel and Rep. Winn were absent for the vote.
MOTION: Rep. Hendrickson moved to adjourn.
Rep. Barrus adjourned the meeting at 3:44 p.m.
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