Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 507 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Peterson, Thomas W.

Final action

House/ filed 3/7/2025

Outcome

Failed / filed without passage

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• establishes a minimum number for commission membership; and
• removes the partisanship requirements for members on the Legislative Water Development Commission.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

3
73-27-102
Legislative Water Development Commission Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Thomas W. Peterson
Senate Sponsor: 
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill addresses membership requirements on the Legislative Water Development 
Commission.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
establishes a minimum number for commission membership; and
removes the partisanship requirements for members on the Legislative Water 
Development Commission.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
73-27-102
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapter 229
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
73-27-102
 is amended to read:
73-27-102. Legislative Water Development Commission created.
(1)
(a)
The Legislative Water Development Commission is created to determine the 
state's role in the protection, conservation, and development of the state's water 
resources.
(b)
For purposes of this chapter, "commission" means the Legislative Water 
Development Commission.
(2)
(a)
The commission membership shall include:
(i)
five 
a minimum of two 
members of the Senate, appointed by the president of the 
Senate
, no more than four of whom may be from the same political party
;
(ii)
eight 
a minimum of two 
members of the House of Representatives, appointed 
by the speaker of the House of Representatives
, no more than six of whom may 
be from the same political party
; and
(iii)
subject to Subsections 
(2)(b)
 and 
(c)
, 
nonvoting members, appointed by the 
Legislative Management Committee, from a list recommended by the cochairs of 
the commission described in Subsection 
(5)
.
(b)
If the Legislative Management Committee chooses to not appoint an individual on 
the list described in Subsection 
(2)(a)(iii)
, the Legislative Management Committee 
may ask the cochairs of the commission to submit an additional list of 
recommendations.
(c)
The Legislative Management Committee may not appoint an individual who is not 
recommended by the cochairs of the commission.
(3)
(a)
The members appointed by the Legislative Management Committee under 
Subsection 
(2)(a)(iii)
 shall be appointed or reappointed to a two-year term.
(b)
When a vacancy occurs in the membership for any reason, the Legislative 
Management Committee, in consultation with the cochairs of the commission, shall 
appoint a replacement for the unexpired term.
(4)
The president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives shall, to the 
extent possible, appoint members under Subsections 
(2)(a)(i)
 and 
(ii)
 that represent both 
rural and urban areas of the state.
(5)
(a)
The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed 
under Subsection 
(2)(a)(i)
 as a cochair of the commission.
(b)
The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House 
of Representatives appointed under Subsection 
(2)(a)(ii)
 as a cochair of the 
commission.
(6)
What constitutes a quorum of the commission is determined in accordance with 
Legislative Joint Rules, 
Title 7, Chapter 1, Part 2, Creation and Organization of 
Legislative Committees
, except nonvoting members of the commission described in 
Subsection 
(2)(a)(iii)
 may not be considered for purposes of determining a quorum.
(7)
(a)
Compensation and expenses of a member of the commission who is a legislator 
are governed by Section 
36-2-2
 and Legislative Joint Rules, 
Title 5, Legislative 
Compensation and Expenses
.
(b)
Commission members who are employees of the state shall receive no additional 
compensation.
(c)
Other commission members shall receive no compensation or expenses for their 
service on the commission.
(8)
The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support to 
the commission.
Section 2. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
2-14-25 9:38 AM