This document includes House Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Tue, Feb 13, 2024 at 11:35 AM by housengrossing.
Representative Brian S. King proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
WATER REVISIONS

2     
2024 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Brian S. King

5     
Senate Sponsor: Scott D. Sandall

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill addresses the need for a water database within the state.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     directs the Division of Water Resources and the Division of Water Rights
13     (divisions) to jointly study the creation of a water database and center;
14          ▸     permits agreements with governmental entities for cooperation in the study;
15          ▸     outlines with whom the divisions shall consult;
16          ▸     requires reporting on the study;
17          ▸     provides a sunset date; and
18          ▸     makes technical changes.
19     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
20          None
21     Other Special Clauses:
22          None
23     Utah Code Sections Affected:
24     AMENDS:
25          63I-1-273, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapters 205, 261

26     ENACTS:
27          73-10-39, Utah Code Annotated 1953
28     

29     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
30          Section 1. Section 63I-1-273 is amended to read:
31          63I-1-273. Repeal dates: Title 73.
32          (1) Title 73, Chapter 27, Legislative Water Development Commission, is repealed
33     January 1, 2031.
34          (2) Section 73-10-39, requiring a study of the creation of a water database and center,
35     is repealed July 1, 2025.
36          [(2)] (3) Title 73, Chapter 10g, Part 2, Agricultural Water Optimization, is repealed
37     July 1, 2028.
38          [(3)] (4) Section 73-18-3.5, which authorizes the Division of Outdoor Recreation to
39     appoint an advisory council that includes in the advisory council's duties advising on boating
40     policies, is repealed July 1, 2024.
41          [(4)] (5) In relation to Title 73, Chapter 31, Water Banking Act, on December 31,
42     2030:
43          (a) Subsection 73-1-4(2)(e)(xi) is repealed;
44          (b) Subsection 73-10-4(1)(h) is repealed; and
45          (c) Title 73, Chapter 31, Water Banking Act, is repealed.
46          [(5)] (6) Sections 73-32-302 and 73-32-303, related to the Great Salt Lake Advisory
47     Council, are repealed July 1, 2027.
48          Section 2. Section 73-10-39 is enacted to read:
49          73-10-39. Study related to creation of a water database and center.
50          (1) As used in this section:
51          (a) "Database" means the Utah water database the creation of which is to be studied
52     under this section.
53          (b) "Data center" means a Utah water data center the creation of which is to be studied
54     under this section.
55          (c) "Division" means the Division of Water Resources.
56          (2) (a) The division and the Division of Water Rights shall jointly study the creation of

57     a Utah water database and Utah water data center.
58          (b) As part of the study, the division and the Division of Water Rights:
59          (i) shall define what water data is to be collected as part of a database; and
60          (ii) may enter into an agreement with a Ĥ→ [
federal or] ←Ĥ state agency, entity,
60a     subdivision, or
61     institution for cooperation in studying the creation of a database and data center.
62          (c) The division and the Division of Water Rights shall consult with the following as
63     part of the study:
64          (i) the Department of Agriculture and Food;
65          (ii) the Department of Environmental Quality;
66          (iii) the Division of Technology Services; and
67          (iv) any other executive state agency and entity that collects water data.
68          (3) The study related to a database shall include whether to:
69          (a) require that the database serve as the central reference for the water data contained
70     in any water database by a state agency;
71          (b) require that the database serve as a clearing house and repository for all water data
72     required by multiple users;
73          (c) require that water data standards be developed for water data acquired, purchased,
74     or produced by a state agency;
75          (d) allow a state agency to keep ownership and maintain responsibility for the water
76     data provided to the data center; and
77          (e) include any other features.
78          (4) The study related to the data center shall include developing a framework for a data
79     center housed within the division and how the data center could:
80          (a) manage the database, including standards for a state agency to update water data in
81     a timely manner;
82          (b) establish standard format, lineage, and other requirements for the database; and
83          (c) collaborate with other regional Ĥ→ [
and national] ←Ĥ efforts to share, integrate, and
83a     manage
84     water data.
85          (5) The study shall determine costs associated with the creation and maintenance of the
86     database and data center.
87          (6) The division and the Division of Water Rights shall jointly report the findings of

88     the study and any recommendations to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment
89     Interim Committee by the November 2024 meeting of that committee.
90          Section 3. Effective date.
91          This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.