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Bills of Interest
HB 309, Sales & Use
Tax
HB 315, Beekeeping
Amendments
HCR 11, Repayment
of Funds Used to
Keep National Parks
Open
House Bills 1S HB 10, Initiative and Referendum Amendments, Rep. Greene (R) Pleasant Grove – Expands the political subdivisions that are subject to local initiatives and referenda to include a person or body within a political subdivision. Also, amends procedures relating to property tax referenda. Farm Bu-reau supports the initiative process under certain guidelines including opposing the initiative process to establish new taxes or tax increases. Held in a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau is moni-toring.
2S HB 11, Referendum Amendments, Rep. Cox (R) West Valley City (Escamilla) – Changes the referendum process requirements when seeking to challenge the state law. Farm Bureau supports the republic, representative form of government. However, under certain guidelines, Farm Bureau supports an initiative or referendum process – see UFBF policy “Government by Initiative” page 20. Waiting for House Floor action. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
1S HB 25, Property Tax Changes, Rep. McCay (R) Riverton - Would make greenbelt lands ineligi-ble for greenbelt if the landowner installed permanent or temporary structures and/or improvements for commercial purposes and not as an integral part of production agriculture. Farm Bureau is work-ing with the bill sponsor and others to amend the bill. Waiting for House Floor action. Farm Bureau opposes.
FEBRUARY 15, 2016 Issue 4
Centennial
1916-2016
* Bills Added Since Last Week
HB 65, Exemption from Daylight Saving Time, Rep. Cox (R) West Valley City – Would exempt Utah from the observance of Daylight Sav-ing Time and require Utah to observe Mountain Standard Time on a year-round basis. Farm Bureau supports Mountain Daylight Time with time changes in the spring and fall. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau opposes.
HB 78, Abandoned Road Amendments, Rep. Handy (R) Layton – Clarifies that if a portion of a street to be dedicated as part of a subdivi-sion plat has been previously dedicated and abandoned then that por-tion of the street is not required to be signed, dedicated and acknowl-edged as such. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
HB 82, Property Taxing Authority for Public Water, Rep. Powell (R) Heber City – Amends the maximum levy rate for water districts served by the Colorado River Compact to the Upper Basin. If passed, the amendment would begin January 1, 2021 and would decrease the max-imum levy to .0002 per dollar of taxable value of taxable property (currently .0004 per dollar of taxable value of taxable property). Farm Bureau supports those directly benefiting from water projects be the pri-mary source of revenue. Sponsor has agreed to not advance the bill. Farm Bureau opposes.
1S HB 84, Wildlife Amendments, e Rep. McKell (R) Spanish Fork (Hinkins) – Clarifies that a Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) issued license, permit, tag, or certificate of registration is a privilege, not a right. Furthermore, clarifies a hunting permit, administered in a DWR drawing, can not be transferred, sold or assigned to another person. Bill was amended in committee to lower the age requirement to 12 for those desiring to hunt limited entry drawings. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
HB 115, Beekeeping Modifications, Rep. Roberts (R) Santaquin – Amends the law so beekeepers would no longer be required to register their bees with Utah’s Department of Agriculture and Food. Also, pro-hibits a city or county from adopting an ordinance, rule, regulation or resolution prohibiting a property owner from estab-
Policy Watch Newsletters
The intended purpose of the
Policy Watch newsletter is
to inform Farm Bureau
members of current bills
and legislation that affect
agriculture.
Activities of the Utah Farm
Bureau Federation in 2016
will be based on the policies
outlined in the 2016 UFBF Policy Book adopted No-
vember 20, 2015 .
Utah Farm Bureau Policy Watch 2
Contact Us
Ron Gibson, President
Stephen Osguthorpe, VP
Randy Parker, CEO and Secretary/Treasurer
Sterling Brown
VP Public Policy
lishing or maintaining an apiary. Farm Bureau is concerned the lack of registration may lead to diffi-culties in controlling potential disease outbreaks and make it increasingly difficult for crop growers to contact beekeepers when spraying pesticides. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bu-reau opposes.
HB 126, Unmanned Aircraft Revisions, Rep. Powell (R) Heber City – Prohibits an individual from flying an unmanned aircraft within three miles of a wildland fire unless the person is a public opera-tor or with a law enforcement agency. Farm Bureau supports unmanned aircraft use for reasons to improve and enhance agricultural operations. Farm Bureau opposes the use of these aircraft for activities that would endanger personal and public safety. Waiting for House Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
HB 144, Food Freedom Act, Rep. Roberts (R) Santaquin – Would exempt agricultural producers from state, county or city permitting requirements for the preparation, serving, use, consumption or storage of food and food products that are produced and sold within Utah, sold directly to an in-formed consumer and for home consumption. All fruits, vegetables, dairy and poultry products would apply. All other meat products are not included in this bill. Farm Bureau supports producer vertical integration, direct to consumer sales, with consideration towards risk and scale. Bill sponsor did not attend Committee hearing, but public comment was taken. Held in Committee for possible further action. Farm Bureau opposes.
HB 161, Agricultural Parcel Amendments, Rep. McKell (R) Spanish Fork (Henderson) – Allows a county to enact an ordinance allowing for a parcel of land, which has an existing single family dwelling, to be divided into two parcels so long as one parcel remains in agricultural use. Farm Bu-reau believes this can help preserve agricultural lands. Waiting for a Senate Committee hearing. Farm Bureau supports.
HB 168, Transportation Funding Modifications, Rep. Anderson (R) Taylorsville (Jackson) -- Would allow Salt Lake County to expand their legislative authority to purchase property from funds deposited into the Highway Project Fund for additional uses including pedestrian and nonmotorized vehicle trails, parking garages and bridges. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau is moni-toring.
HB 169, Little Sahara State Park Designation, Rep. Eliason (R) Sandy – Authorizes Utah’s Divi-sion of Parks and Recreation to enter into an agreement with the BLM to use the Little Sahara Rec-reation Area as a State Park – approx. 56,000 acres. Furthermore, directs Utah’s Division of Parks and Recreation to pursue a land transfer with BLM, through purchase or lease. A transfer could on-ly occur if the newly created Park was financially self-sustaining, no negative impacts to existing grazing allotments and SITLA was made whole. Farm Bureau supports the transfer of federal lands to state and local governments as along as lands are administered under multiple-use management. Waiting for House Floor action. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
Utah Farm Bureau Policy Watch 3
HB 180, Sales and Use Tax Exemption Amendments Rep. Wilson (R) Kaysville – Would exempt any input for industry that lasts longer than 3 years to be tax exempt. This bill only applies to corporations, not individu-als. Farm Bureau believes if a manufacturing companies can save on input costs through tax exemptions, consumers (farmers and ranchers) can also save when purchasing these products. Waiting for a House Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
1S HB 187, Animal Shelter Amendments, Rep. Anderson (R) Tay-lorsville – Would allow veterinarians to only use sodium pentobarbital or a derivative as the exclusive method for euthanasia of an animal. It would prohibit veterinarians from using carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, or other non-anesthetic inhalant; a chamber that causes a change in body oxygen by means of altering atmospheric pressure, or is connected to an internal combustion engine and uses the engine exhaust. Farm Bureau supports the humane treatment of animals. Waiting for a House Floor Action. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
HB 194, Milk Sales Amendments, Rep. Anderegg (R) Lehi (Dayton) – Allows a producer to sell raw and pasteurized milk in their self-owned re-tail store, as long as the milk sold is on the premise where it is produced, the producer has a permit from Utah’s Department of Agriculture and Food, the milk is sold to households and not for resale, the milk is bottled in sanitary conditions and the raw milk must be in separate, labeled dis-play cases. Farm Bureau policy was amended last year to support such legislation. Waiting for Senate Floor Action. Farm Bureau supports.
HB 211, Agricultural Exemption Amendments, Rep. Perry (R) Perry (Hinkins) – Amends the current duties of the state veterinarian to help coordinate the Department’s responsibilities, including assisting the meat inspection manager. Furthermore, sets in place specific fencing guide-lines when holding bison - eight feet fences and gates, hi-tensile steel, four-inch diameter posts, etc. Waiting for a Senate Committee hearing. Farm Bureau supports.
Utah Farm Bureau Policy Watch 4
Committees
Standing Committees
Standing committee
meetings are held by the
House and Senate during
the legislative session.
They offer citizens the
opportunity to listen to
and comment on legisla-
tive issues. If you are in-
terested in a particular
bill, you may contact the
chair of a specific stand-
ing committee to sched-
ule your testimony.
Interim Committees
Interim Committees study
key issues facing the state
and recommend legisla-
tion for the upcoming
session. These com-
mittees meet jointly on
the 3rd Wednesday of
every month between
sessions from April
through November and
serve as an opportunity
for the public to speak
and give their input to the
legislature concerning
matters being considered.
Offering valuable infor-
mation and opinions re-
garding issues being con-
sidered in the interim
committees is an excel-
lent way to participate in
the lawmaking process.
Usually legislators are
appointed to two interim
committees as well as one
appropriations com-
mittee.
HB 213, Agricultural Modifications, Rep. Sandall (R) Tremonton – Proposes to add the following representatives to Utah’s Department of Agriculture and Food Agriculture Advisory Board: Dean of Utah State University College of Agriculture and Applied Science and Vice Presi-dent of Extension, urban and small farmers, Elk Breeders Association, Beekeepers Association and the Fur Breeders Association. Further-more, amends representation on the Domesticated Elk Act Advisory Council. Waiting for House Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
1S HB 215, Local Option Sales and Use Tax Amendments, Rep. Greene (R) Pleasant Grove - Authorizes a county to impose a local op-tion sales and use tax for highways and public transit. Farm Bureau, and many in the Utah business community, worked with last year’s leg-islature to pass a compromise bill addressing transportation funding. If passed, Farm Bureau is concerned this bill would undo and expand transportation funding efforts from last year. Held in committee. Farm Bureau opposes.
HB 218, Utah Revised Nonprofit Corporation Act, Rep. McIff (R) Richfield – States a member or shareholder in a mutual water company has an undivided interest in real property, proportional to the member or shareholder’s shares. Also, the member or shareholder is a person entitled to the use of water. Farm Bureau is concerned these amend-ments would weaken current safeguards designed to protect the integri-ty and viability of the mutual water companies. See SB 116 - same bill. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau opposes.
HB 222, Nonuse Application Amendments, Rep. Hawkes (R) Cen-terville (Dayton) – States that approval of one or more nonuse applica-tions, or successive overlapping nonuse application, does not protect a water right that is already subject to forfeiture. Also, nor does the ap-proval of one or more nonuse application constitute beneficial use of water. Waiting for a Senate Committee hearing. Farm Bureau supports.
HB 232, Scenic Byway Amendments, Rep. Noel (R) Kanab -- Amends the law to require (currently voluntary) the Utah State Scenic Byway Committee to segment a state scenic byway, National Scenic Byway, or All-American Road at the written request of the owner of real property that is a non-scenic area adjacent to a state scenic byway, Na-tional Scenic Byway, or All-American Road. Waiting for House Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
HB 253, Public Trust Amendments, Rep. (R) Hawkes Centerville - Ensures that when the State Engineer approves an application to ap-propriate or an application for permanent change, there is an assump-tion that the approval is made in full compliance with the state’s public trust obligations. Farm Bureau opposes extending the public trust doc-trine to any private property rights established prior to statehood. Wait-ing for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau supports.
Utah Farm Bureau Policy Watch 5
Appropriations Committees
The governor prepares a budget each year for which the legislature has a responsibility to review and approve funding for all of state government.
There are eight appropri-ations subcommittees, appointed from all the members of the House and Senate by the Presi-dent of the Senate and the Speaker of the House. Each of the appropria-tions subcommittees con-siders a specific portion of the budget and makes recommendations to the executive appropriations committee which consists of all the legislative lead-ers of both parties in the Senate and the House. The legislators alter the budget as necessary and pass a final appropria-tions bill.
After the budget has been adopted, it becomes the responsibility of the Gov-ernor and the Executive Branch to administer it. Excess funds in accounts at the end of the fiscal year are closed out (lapsed) except for certain funds which are noted in Utah statutes.
Standing, Interim, and Appropriations com-mittees -- are very open processes which allow for everyone to be involved.
HB 256, Net Metering of Electricity Amend-
ments, Rep. Cox (R) West Valley City -
Would allow a customer to receive cash pay-
ment instead of credit from an electrical corpo-
ration when receiving payment for producing
customer-generated electricity. Waiting for a
House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau op-
poses.
HB 257 Water Funding Revisions, Rep. Per-
ry (R) Perry - Currently, 1/16th cent of sales tax
funds is dedicated towards water development
and projects. Another 1/16th cent sales tax is dedicated towards transportation, new projects and
maintenance. This bill proposes to move the revenue from transportation sales tax into the water
infrastructure restricted account that was created last year. Funds from that account are used for
water development projects. Farm Bureau believes continued water development and infrastruc-
ture is essential and necessary for Utah’s rural and urban economy. The passage of this bill would
provide greater security and certainty in furthering the sustainability of Utah’s agriculture industry
by providing additional water projects throughout the state. See SB 80 - same bill. Waiting for a
House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau supports.
HB 270, Constitutional Defense Restricted Account Amendments, Rep. Noel (R) Kanab -
Would expand the use of funds, appropriated to the Constitutional Defense Restricted Account, to
be used by the Office of the Attorney General or any other state or local government entity for pur-
poses of bringing an action to establish the right of a state or local government officer or employee
to enter onto federal land or use of federal road. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm
Bureau supports.
HB 276, Utah Public Land Management Act, Rep. Noel (R) Kanab - Creates a new Division
within Utah’s Department of Natural Resources called “Division of Land Management.” Expands
the duties of the Director of Utah’s Department of Natural Resources and the Commissioner of
Utah’s Department of Agriculture and Food to administer this new Division. Waiting for a House
Committee hearing. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
1S HB 284, Injured Wildlife Amendments, Rep. Liffereth (R) Eagle Mountain - Would allow
persons who seriously injure livestock or wildlife while in a vehicle accident to humanely kill the
animal to prevent undo suffering. Held in a House Committee for possible amendments. Farm
Bureau monitoring.
1S HB 287, Commission for the Stewardship of Public Lands and Private Donations for
Public Lands Litigation, Rep. Christofferson (R) Lehi - Creates the Public Lands Litigation Re-
stricted Account. Establishes the purpose of the account is for the litigation related to public lands
and amends the duties of the Commission for the Stewardship of Public Lands to use funds for
litigation purposes. Farm Bureau supports the transfer of public lands from federal management
to state and local governments. Amended in committee. Waiting for House Floor action. Farm Bu-
reau supports.
Utah Farm Bureau Policy Watch 6
HB 305, Water Rights and Resources
Amendments, Rep. Briscoe (D) Salt Lake
City - Requires a certified water operator of a
public water supplier, or professional engineer
to verify the accuracy of water use and supply
data submitted to Utah’s Division of Drinking
Water. Waiting for a House Committee hearing.
Farm Bureau is monitoring.
*HB 309, Sales and Use Tax Earmark
Amendments, Rep. McCay (R) Riverton - Would prevent revenue from the sales and use tax to be
transferred to the Utah Agriculture Resource and Development Loan Fund (ARDL). Low-interest
ARDL loans are available through the Utah Conservation Commission and used for the conservation
of soil and water, increased agricultural yields, maintaining the protection of crops and animals and
reducing damages to agriculture resulting from natural disasters. Waiting for a House Committee
hearing. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
*HB 315, Beekeeping Amendments, Rep. McIff (R) Richfield - Amends the law stating any apiary with 21 plus hives will register as a commercial operation and no commercial apiaries may be within a 2 mile radius of each other. If there is a dispute, the operation with a senior registration date would be allowed to stay and other apiary required to relocate unless granted a variance through the Utah De-partment of Agriculture and Food. Those in violation of this law would could be guilty of a Class B Misdemeanor. Farm Bureau believes added requirements for apiaries, orchard growers and hay growers could be burdensome and not necessary. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bu-reau opposes.
HCR 1, Concurrent Resolution on Waters of the United States, Rep. Noel (R) Kanab (Hinkins) – Expresses disapproval of the expansion of the term “Water of the United States” to include ephemeral drainage systems, dry washes, gullies, coulees and arroyos. Passed in the House. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
HCR 6, Concurrent Resolution Celebrating the Utah Farm Bureau Centennial, Rep. Chew (R) Jensen (Dayton) – Recognizes the Utah Farm Bureau Federation for strengthening agriculture and rural communities and improving the lives of all Utahns and congratulates the Utah Farm Bureau on its 100 years of leadership and service to its members and the State of Utah. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
*HCR 11, Concurrent Resolution Encouraging the Repayment of Funds Used to Keep National Parks, Monuments and Recreation Areas Open, Rep. Ivory (R) West Jordan - Calls on Congress to repay the State of Utah the expenses incurred while keeping National Parks and Monuments open during the 2013 shutdown. Farm Bureau supports state and/or county governments assuming control of national parks immediately after any federal government shutdown. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau supports.
HJR 2, Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution – Right to Food, Rep. Roberts (R) Santaquin – Proposes to amend the Utah Constitution to establish an individual right to grow food for their own consumption or to acquire farm-produced food. Nothing in the proposed Constitution Amendment would prohibit the Utah Legislature from providing laws for the regulation of the production, pro-cessing and distribution of food for retail, restaurant or commercial use. Farm Bureau supports pro-ducer vertical integration, direct to consumer sales, with consideration towards risk and scale. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau opposes.
Utah Farm Bureau Policy Watch 7
HJR 4, Joint Resolution on Water Infrastructure Transfer, Rep. McKell (R) Spanish Fork – Calls on Utah’s Congressional Delegation to support Utah water users organizations that have re-paid, or wish to repay, reclamation projects to secure title transfer of project works and project water rights free from terms and conditions that were not contemplated at the time of the repayment con-tracts. Farm Bureau supports the transfer of both title and water rights, but monitoring which water organization should receive tile and water rights. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
HJR 8, Joint Resolution Calling for a Convention to Amend the Constitution of the United States, Rep. Ivory (R) West Jordan - Expresses support for a convention of the state's for the pur-pose of discussing potential amendments to the Constitution of the United States. Farm Bureau be-lieves the United States Constitution is a divinely, inspired document subject to changes through the amendment process. Farm Bureau opposes calling a constitutional convention. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau opposes.
Senate Bills
1S SB 23, Water Law – Protected Purchaser Amendments, Sen. Dayton (R) Orem (Grover) – Amends the definition of “Protected Purchaser” to state that a share of stock issued by a land com-pany or a water company pays an assessment levied against the share of stock for at least four of the immediate past seven years. Passed the Senate. Waiting for House Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
SB 28, Water System Conservation Pricing, Sen. Jenkins (R) Plain City (Perry) – Requires culi-nary water providers to establish a rate structure that increases with use. The bill would establish a rate increase for every block of water increase a customer uses. Farm Bureau supports wise water conservation, but is concerned about possible future mandatory conservation practices for produc-tion agriculture. Passed both the Senate and House. Waiting for the Governor’s signature. Farm Bureau monitored.from permitting requirements (currently 1,000 square feet). Waitin
SB 44, Construction Code Amendments, Sen. Dayton (R) Orem – Proposes that agricultural roadside stands, less than 1,500 square feet, be exempt g for a Senate Committee hearing. Farm Bureau supports.
SB 49, Statute of Limitations on Environmental Code Violations, Rep. Escamilla (D) Salt Lake (Chavez-Houck) – Amends Utah’s statute of limitations for violating the environmental quality code (air and water) from one year to five years. Amended in committee from five years to two years. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
SB 66, Environmental Code Fines, Rep. Escamilla (D) Salt Lake – Increases fines for violators of the air conservation act from $25,000 to $65,000, but no more than $130,500 per day. Held in Sen-ate Committee. Waiting for further Senate Committee action. Farm Bureau opposes.
SB 72, School and Institutional Trust Lands Management Act Amendments, Sen. Dayton (R) Orem (McKell) – Would allow the Director of SITLA to withdraw lands from public target shooting only after consulting with the county sheriff and representatives from leading sports shooting organi-zations. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau supports.
Utah Farm Bureau Policy Watch 8
SB 75, Water Rights Adjudication Amendments, Sen. Dayton (R) Orem (Sandall) – Amends the pro-cedures the State Engineer must follow during an adjudication as well as modifies historic requirements on those holding water rights. Several amendments include: A failure of a potential party to file a timely state-ment of claim constitutes a default against the party, requires the State Engineer to authorize one extension to those seeking to file a statement of claim and requires the State Engi-neer to complete a hydrographic survey map, prepare a proposed determination, serve public no-tice and by mail. The purpose of these changes is to modernize the process of adjudication and increase efficiency. Farm Bureau supports increased efforts to complete pending water rights ad-judication. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau supports.
SB 80, Infrastructure Funding Amendments, Sen. Adams (R) Layton (Perry) — Currently, 1/16th cent of sales tax funds is dedicated towards water development and projects. Another 1/16th cent sales tax is dedicated towards transportation, new projects and maintenance. This bill proposes to move the revenue from transportation sales tax into the water infrastructure restricted account that was created last year. Funds from that account are used for water development pro-jects. Farm Bureau believes continued water development and infrastructure is essential and nec-essary for Utah’s rural and urban economy. The passage of this bill would provide greater security and certainty in furthering the sustainability of Utah’s agriculture industry by providing additional water projects throughout the state. See HB 257 - same bill. Passed the Senate. Waiting for a House Committee hearing. Farm Bureau supports.
1S SB 92, Municipal Landscape Amendments, Sen. Jenkins (R) Plain City – States a city or county cannot require commercial and industrial property owners to landscape with grass if the area is fenced and not visible to the public. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau sup-ports.
SB 102, High Cost Infrastructure Tax Credit Amendments, Sen. Okerlund (R) Monroe (Francis) - Changes the amount of the high cost infrastructure tax credit administered by the Office of Energy Development. This bill is designed to incentivize new business and existing business growth throughout rural Utah, including production agriculture businesses. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
1S SB 110, Water Quality Amendments, Sen. Hinkins (R) Orangeville - Establishes an inde-pendent, peer review process that will evaluate challenges made to proposals from the Division of Water Quality. Three independent experts who are mutually agreeable to both the division and the challenging party will be appointed to the panel to prepare a written report for the division. The panel’s review must include certain scientific findings when related to a specified downstream wa-ter body or a series of hydrologically connected water bodies. Waiting for a Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
SB 112, Property Tax Assessment Amount Amendments, Sen. Stephensen (R) Draper (McCay). - States the burden of proof falls on the County Assessor when a property owner is ap-pealing the value of property. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
*SB 115, Sustainable Transportation and Energy Plan Act, Sen. Adams (R) Layton - Gives further authority to the Utah Legislature and away from the Public Service Commission (PSC) to determine energy programs, particularly renewable energy programs. Utah Farm Bureau believes the legislature sets policy and the PSC, among other things, approves programs for Rocky Moun-tain Power to implement. Furthermore, Farm Bureau believes this legislation could open the door for the legislature to fund pet projects using ratepayer money instead of justifying the project with general funds. Passed out of a Senate Committee with the understanding amendment be made on the Senate Floor. Farm Bureau opposes.
Utah Farm Bureau Policy Watch 9
SB 116, Water Law - Nonprofit Cor-poration Amendments, Sen. Bram-ble (R) Orem - States that a member or shareholder of a mutual water com-pany has an undivided interest in real property, proportional to the member’s or shareholder’s shares. Also, the member or shareholder is a entitled to the use of water. Farm Bureau is con-cerned these amendments would weaken current safeguards designed to protect and viability of the mutual water companies. See HB 218 - same bill. Waiting for a Senate Committee hearing. Farm Bureau opposes.
SB 122, Wildland Fire Policy Up-dates, Sen. Vickers (R) Cedar City (Briscoe) - Requires both cities and counties to reduce the risk of wildfire on unincorporated, private or county owned lands through ap-propriate wildfire prevention and preparedness and mitigation actions. Authorizes cities and coun-ties to enter into a cooperative agreement with the State of Utah. Those cities and counties who en-ter into this agreement may be eligible to have the costs of wildfire suppression paid by the state. Farm Bureau is working to ensure local government is not given access to private lands without per-mission first. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
*SB 144, Dead Domestic Animal Disposal Amendments, Sen. Okerlund (R) Monroe - Amends the current list of domestic animals that can be disposed of or buried by the owner to include birds. If passed, the list would include: bovine, horse, mule, goat, sheep, bird, or swine. Waiting for Senate Floor Action. Farm Bureau supports.
SCR 1, Concurrent Resolution Encouraging Universal Metering of Water Systems, Sen. Jen-kins (R) Plain City (Perry) – Encourages all public water suppliers, both culinary and secondary, to implement metering on all retail public and private water systems. Farm Bureau encourages the beneficial use of natural resources, including all water. Waiting for House Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
SCR 8, Concurrent Resolution Approving the Test and Training Range Land Exchange, Sen. J. Stevenson (R) Layton (Sagers) - Approves the proposed exchange of School and Institutional Trust Lands and mineral interests in Box Elder, Tooele, Juab and Washington counties for BLM lands in Box Elder, Tooele, Juab, Millard and Beaver counties. Furthermore, recognizes that the land received by the state in the exchange would provide greater economic development potential. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau supports.
SJR 3, Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution, Sen. Harper (R) Taylorsville (Ivory) - Would allow property leased by the State of Utah or by a political subdivision of the state to be exempt from prop-erty tax. If this resolution passes, then this issue would go on the November 2016 General Election ballot. If passed, the Utah Constitution would be amended and take effect January 1, 2017. Waiting for Senate Floor action. Farm Bureau is monitoring.
Utah Farm Bureau Policy Watch 10
