House approves bill creating process to designate state campgrounds

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House of Representatives passed House Bill 34 on Wednesday, establishing a statutory process for the Division of State Parks and Recreation to evaluate and recommend creation of state campgrounds.

The measure, sponsored on the floor as House Bill 34, would allow the state to designate limited-scope campgrounds—distinct from state parks—after the division finds a site viable and consults with local elected officials and the legislative representatives for the area. The bill passed the House by a 69–3 vote and will be sent to the Senate for consideration.

Supporters said the bill fills a gap in state law by creating a narrow tool for establishing campgrounds on state-managed parcels or other lands, including through purchase from SITLA or through Recreation and Public Purposes (RPP) transfers from federal agencies. The sponsor said the measure is modeled to respect local input: if the county, municipality or the area’s legislative representatives oppose a campground, the division would not forward a recommendation to the Legislature.

"This would allow the state to, in a very surgical way, create just a state campground," the bill sponsor said on the floor, describing campgrounds as generally smaller in scope than state parks and potentially operated with limited staffing or volunteer hosts.

During floor discussion, members sought and received clarification that the bill establishes a procedure for designating campgrounds only — it does not change how state parks are created or how campgrounds inside existing state parks are managed. A sponsoring representative and other members noted potential uses: creating access points near national forests or wilderness areas, working with SITLA parcels, and using the RPP process to acquire federal lands for public recreational use.

Representative Albrecht asked whether the bill would apply to campgrounds inside state parks or only to standalone campgrounds; the sponsor confirmed it would not change existing state-park procedures. Representative Chu urged attention to potential overuse of public lands as recreation demand grows, saying campgrounds should be created in ways that reduce pressure on fragile areas.

The bill text requires an evaluation of viability, consultation with local elected bodies and relevant legislators, and that any proposed campground be kept to the minimum size necessary to fulfill campground purposes. Supporters argued the measure would add a targeted management tool and could help rural economies by expanding recreation access.

Voting was recorded on the floor: HB 34 passed with 69 yes votes and 3 no votes. The bill will proceed to the Utah Senate for its consideration.

Less immediately consequential procedural items on the floor included a House Rules Committee meeting announcement and committee-report assignments for other bills; those matters were handled separately from the HB 34 debate.