1     
PUBLIC LANDS AMENDMENTS

2     
2024 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Raymond P. Ward

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Senate Sponsor: ____________

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7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill requires an inventory of public lands.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     defines terms;
13          ▸     requires the completion of an inventory of certain public land; and
14          ▸     makes technical changes.
15     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16          None
17     Other Special Clauses:
18          None
19     Utah Code Sections Affected:
20     AMENDS:
21          63L-11-304, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapter 382
22     

23     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24          Section 1. Section 63L-11-304 is amended to read:
25          63L-11-304. Public lands transfer study and economic analysis -- Report --
26     Inventory.
27          (1) As used in this section:

28          (a) "Municipality" means the same as that term is defined in Section 10-1-104.
29          (b) "Public lands" means the same as that term is defined in Section 63L-6-102.
30          [(b)] (c) "Transfer of public lands" means the transfer of public lands from federal
31     ownership to state ownership.
32          (2) The office shall, on an ongoing basis, report to the Federalism Commission
33     regarding the ramifications and economic impacts of the transfer of public lands.
34          (3) The office shall:
35          (a) on an ongoing basis, discuss issues related to the transfer of public lands with:
36          (i) the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration;
37          (ii) local governments;
38          (iii) water managers;
39          (iv) environmental advocates;
40          (v) outdoor recreation advocates;
41          (vi) nonconventional and renewable energy producers;
42          (vii) tourism representatives;
43          (viii) wilderness advocates;
44          (ix) ranchers and agriculture advocates;
45          (x) oil, gas, and mining producers;
46          (xi) fishing, hunting, and other wildlife interests;
47          (xii) timber producers;
48          (xiii) other interested parties; and
49          (xiv) the Federalism Commission; [and]
50          (b) develop ways to obtain input from citizens of the state regarding the transfer of
51     public lands and the future care and use of public lands[.]; and
52          (c) complete an inventory of public lands owned by the Bureau of Land Management
53     that:
54          (i) identifies all public land owned by the Bureau of Land Management that is located
55     within the boundary of a municipality, including:
56          (A) the legal description of the parcel; and
57          (B) points of access to the parcel; and
58          (ii) indicates a municipality's intended use for the parcels of public land described in

59     Subsection (3)(c)(i), including for recreation, economic development, affordable housing, or
60     other use.
61          (4) A municipality may notify the office of the municipality's interest in public land
62     owned by the Bureau of Land Management that is located within one-half mile outside of the
63     municipality's boundary by:
64          (a) providing a legal description of the parcel;
65          (b) identifying points of access to the parcel;
66          (c) indicating the municipality's intended use for the parcel, including for recreation,
67     economic development, affordable housing, or other use; and
68          (d) submitting the information described in Subsections (4)(a), (b), and (c) to the
69     office.
70          (5) The office:
71          (a) shall complete the inventory described in Subsection (3)(c) on or before October
72     31, 2026; and
73          (b) may include in the inventory a parcel for which the office receives notice under
74     Subsection (4).
75          (6) The office shall publish a final report on the inventory described in Subsection
76     (3)(c) and present the report to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim
77     Committee on or before November 30, 2026.
78          Section 2. Effective date.
79          This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.