Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 448 (2024GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Ward, R.

Final action

House/ filed 3/1/2024

Outcome

Failed / filed without passage

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• requires the Division of Water Resources (division) to monitor state legislative water optimization efforts;
• requires the division to work with other state entities;
• directs the division to annually report specific findings;
• specifies the legislative committees to which the report is to be given;
• requires posting of the report;
• requires state agencies to assist upon request;
• provides a sunset date; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

STATE WATER PROGRAM REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Raymond P. Ward
Senate Sponsor: 
 Todd D. Weiler
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill addresses reporting regarding legislative water optimization efforts.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ requires the Division of Water Resources (division) to monitor state legislative
water optimization efforts;
▸ requires the division to work with other state entities;
▸ directs the division to annually report specific findings;
▸ specifies the legislative committees to which the report is to be given;
▸ requires posting of the report;
▸ requires state agencies to assist upon request;
▸ provides a sunset date; and
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
63I-1-273
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapters 205, 261
73-10-18
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 140
ENACTS:
73-10-39
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
63I-1-273
 is amended to read:
63I-1-273.
Repeal dates: Title 73.
(1) Title 73, Chapter 27, Legislative Water Development Commission, is repealed
January 1, 2031.
(2) Section 
73-10-39
, which requires reporting related to state legislative water
optimization efforts, is repealed July 1, 2034.
[
(2)
] 
(3)
 Title 73, Chapter 10g, Part 2, Agricultural Water Optimization, is repealed
July 1, 2028.
[
(3)
] 
(4)
 Section 
73-18-3.5
, which authorizes the Division of Outdoor Recreation to
appoint an advisory council that includes in the advisory council's duties advising on boating
policies, is repealed July 1, 2024.
[
(4)
] 
(5)
 In relation to Title 73, Chapter 31, Water Banking Act, on December 31,
2030:
(a) Subsection 
73-1-4
(2)(e)(xi) is repealed;
(b) Subsection 
73-10-4
(1)(h) is repealed; and
(c) Title 73, Chapter 31, Water Banking Act, is repealed.
[
(5)
] 
(6)
 Sections 
73-32-302
 and 
73-32-303
, related to the Great Salt Lake Advisory
Council, are repealed July 1, 2027.
Section 2. Section 
73-10-18
 is amended to read:
73-10-18.
Division of Water Resources -- Creation -- Power and authority.
(1) There is created the Division of Water Resources, which shall be within the
Department of Natural Resources under the administration and general supervision of the
executive director of the Department of Natural Resources and under the policy direction of the
Board of Water Resources.
(2) Except for the waters of the Colorado River system that are governed by Title 63M,
Chapter 14, Colorado River Authority of Utah Act, or state representation under the Bear River
Compact or Columbia Interstate Compact, the Division of Water Resources shall:
(a) be the water resource authority for the state; and
(b) assume all of the functions, powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities of the Utah
water and power board except those which are delegated to the board by this act and is vested
with such other functions, powers, duties, rights and responsibilities as provided in this act and
other law.
(3) The Division of Water Resources shall report on state legislative water
optimization efforts in accordance with Section 
73-10-39
.
Section 3. Section 
73-10-39
 is enacted to read:
 73-10-39.
State legislative water optimization efforts.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Division" means the Division of Water Resources.
(b) "State agency" means a department, division, board, council, committee, institution,
office, bureau, or other similar administrative unit of the executive branch of state government.
(c) "State legislative water optimization effort" means the following as it affects the
waters of the state:
(i) the agricultural water optimization program under Chapter 10g, Part 2, Agricultural
Water Optimization;
(ii) the use of water banks or other water marketing efforts consistent with Chapter 31,
Water Banking Act;
(iii) the grant program funding the installation of secondary water meters under
Sections 
73-10-34
 and 
73-10-34.5
; or
(iv) any other legislatively directed water optimization effort, including a program that
uses state funding for water optimization.
(2) (a) The division shall monitor each state legislative water optimization effort and
annually prepare a report in coordination with:
(i) the Division of Water Rights;
(ii) the Colorado River Authority of Utah, created under Title 63M, Chapter 14,
Colorado River Authority of Utah Act;
(iii) the Department of Agriculture and Food; and
(iv) the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner, created under Chapter 32, Great
Salt Lake Commissioner Act.
(b) The report required under this Subsection (2) shall provide:
(i) a statewide summary of each state legislative water optimization effort, including a
summary for each of the following:
(A) the Great Salt Lake basin;
(B) the Colorado River basin; and
(C) the Sevier River basin;
(ii) a quantification of water made available through each state legislative water
optimization effort for the intended purposes identified in the state legislative water
optimization effort, including quantification of water made available for the Great Salt Lake
basin, Colorado River basin, and Sevier River basin;
(iii) a reasonable estimate of where the water made available went, including an
explanation if, and why, an amount of additional water cannot be reported; and
(iv) if a state legislative water optimization effort did not result in water being made
available for the intended purpose identified in the state legislative water optimization effort,
recommendations for changes to the state legislative water optimization effort that would better
result in water being made available as intended by the state legislative water optimization
effort.
(3) The division shall annually:
(a) provide the report required by this section to the Natural Resources, Agriculture,
and Environment Interim Committee and the Legislative Water Development Commission by
no later than the November interim meetings of the Legislature; and
(b) post the report required by this section on a public website.
(4) At the request of the division, a state agency shall provide the division assistance in
preparing the report required by this section.
Section 4. 
Effective date.
This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.