1     
WATER RIGHTS RESTRICTED ACCOUNT AMENDMENTS

2     
2024 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Scott D. Sandall

5     
House Sponsor: Casey Snider

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies provisions related to the Water Rights Restricted Account.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     modifies the purposes for which money in the Water Rights Restricted Account may
13     be expended; 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          73-2-1.6, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapter 106
22     

23     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24          Section 1. Section 73-2-1.6 is amended to read:
25          73-2-1.6. Water Rights Restricted Account.
26          (1) As used in this section:
27          (a) "Account" means the Water Rights Restricted Account created by this section.
28          (b) "Division" means the Division of Water Rights.
29          (2) There is created in the General Fund a restricted account known as the "Water
30     Rights Restricted Account."
31          (3) The account shall consist of the money deposited into the account under Subsection
32     59-12-103(5)(e).
33          (4) Upon appropriation, the division may use money in the account for:
34          (a) costs incurred by the division that benefit water rights adjudications, including:
35          [(a)] (i) employing technical staff;
36          [(b)] (ii) acquiring equipment;
37          [(c)] (iii) obtaining legal support; [and]
38          [(d)] (iv) conducting studies[.];
39          (v) installing, operating, and maintaining measurement infrastructure; and
40          (vi) sharing the costs of installed United States Geological Survey stream gauges; and
41          (b) not to exceed 5% of the money deposited into the account under Subsection
42     59-12-103(5)(e) in the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year of appropriation, costs incurred by
43     the division to acquire, manage, and analyze surface and groundwater data, not limited to
44     geographic areas of adjudication.
45          (5) (a) The account may not exceed $8,000,000 at the end of a fiscal year.
46          (b) If the account exceeds $8,000,000 at the end of a fiscal year, the Division of
47     Finance shall deposit into the Water Resources Conservation and Development Fund, created
48     in Section 73-10-24, the money in excess of the amount necessary to maintain the account
49     balance at $8,000,000.
50          Section 2. Effective date.
51          This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.