Committee adopts SCR 3 (sub) asserting Utah's authority over energy policy and calls for federal-state cooperation

Senator Harper presented SCR 3 (second substitute), a concurrent resolution titled regarding Utah's authority to determine its energy future, describing it as a statement urging federal cooperation and reaffirming state sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment. "This bill simply goes through and calls upon the federal government to work with the states," Harper said, asking federal agencies to engage states formally on energy policy.

The sponsor said the substitute added language reflecting concerns about federal regulation and cited recent Supreme Court developments affecting administrative law. He described the resolution as intended to encourage state agencies to review policies and to provide an umbrella for local governments and utilities to pursue their energy strategies. In answer to a member question, Harper clarified it "does not impact what a city may do with its own energy" and cited Murray City as an example of a local jurisdiction with its own generation and policies.

Representative Dominguez asked whether the resolution would change local municipal authority; the sponsor replied that the resolution focuses on state–federal relations and is intended to allow cities to work under the state umbrella if they choose.

Mary Anne Christiansen of Utah Legislative Watch testified in support of the resolution, saying she supported the legislature "claiming our sovereign rights under the principle of federalism" and praising the resolution for protecting energy resources and industry. Committee members discussed the resolution's origin in a summer working group and the sponsor's role in national legislative organizations.

The committee adopted the second substitute for SCR 3 and then voted to pass the substitute with a favorable recommendation; the chair announced both actions passed unanimously. Sponsor and supporters described the resolution as a nonbinding reaffirmation of state authority (Tenth Amendment) and as a request for federal agencies to provide formal mechanisms for state input on energy policy rather than a directive changing municipal energy law.

The resolution will advance from committee with a favorable recommendation; as a concurrent resolution, it is a statement of position and does not by itself change statutory authority over municipal utilities or create binding legal requirements on federal agencies.