Committee approves HB 200 to expand emergency reopening authority for federal lands, adds Fish and Wildlife sites and reporting change

The House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee on Wednesday favorably recommended HB 200, a bill that would expand the Division of Outdoor Recreation’s authority to keep certain federal recreation facilities open during a federal government shutdown and change where the division must report the outcomes of a recreation restoration and infrastructure grant.

Representative Paul Cutler, presenting HB 200, said the bill makes two primary changes: it authorizes the division to include U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service facilities in the division’s prioritized list of federal sites it could help keep open during a federal shutdown, and it adjusts the statutory reporting requirement for the Recreation Restoration Infrastructure Grant so the Division of Outdoor Recreation reports to the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee rather than the Business Economic Development and Labor Committee.

Jason Curry, director of the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, told the committee the change would give the state “more flexibility” to keep economically important facilities open — examples cited included Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Box Elder County and large national parks such as Zion. Curry said the division already uses rulemaking to maintain a prioritized, four-tier list of sites based on economic impact, visitation and seasonality; adding Fish and Wildlife Service facilities would allow the division to consider those sites in prioritization.

Representative Doug Owens and Representative Troy Shelley asked how the mechanics work when the state steps in during a federal shutdown. Curry and Representative Cutler said the governor’s office and the Office of Tourism coordinate the arrangements with federal administrators; the state typically agrees on estimated costs with the parks or federal site administrators and covers the expenses so federal employees can continue essential functions such as keeping gates and fee stations open. Director Curry said the Utah Office of Tourism has previously stewarded funds used for that purpose. Curry also said the state has not historically been reimbursed in all cases when it fronted pay during shutdowns; sometimes federal back pay occurs depending on federal action after a shutdown.

Bill Pederson, director of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, testified in support of the bill, recounting that a previous federal shutdown occurred “right during the middle of the hunting season,” affecting hunters who hold limited-entry tags and local economies. He told the committee the council “highly favor[s] this bill.”

Representative Owens moved to favorably recommend HB 200. The committee approved the motion by voice vote; the chair ruled the motion passed.

The bill would allow the division to add sites such as the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge to its prioritized list and requires the Division of Outdoor Recreation to provide its grant report to the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee in the future. Committee members did not record any amendments on the bill during the hearing.