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House amends bill to let State Parks raise boat registration fee; floor sets lower cap in amendment
Summary
The House considered a bill to lift the $10 cap on boating registration fees so the State Parks board could increase revenues for dock and maintenance projects; after debate and amendment, the chamber approved an amended cap and passed the bill.
House Bill 305, which would lift the long-standing $10 cap on boating registration fees and give the State Parks board discretion to raise the fee, passed the Utah House after floor amendment. Sponsor Representative Cox said the cap has not changed since 1987 and the board needs flexibility to fund repairs and small projects at sites such as Jordanelle and East Canyon.
The original bill would have allowed a maximum of $18; Representative Butters proposed an amendment to reduce the upper limit to $14. After debate and a motion to amend, the House adopted the amendment (debate included questions about the fiscal note and the timing of any fee increases) and later passed the bill as amended.
Representative Cox defended the measure: "It allows the users to pay for the improvements that are needed there," he said, noting a restricted account that funds docks and a list of small project needs.
Final recorded passage on the floor was 49 yes, 22 no. The sponsor and questioners discussed that the fiscal note's illustrative numbers showed potential phased increases rather than an immediate $18 jump; the sponsor said the board is conservative and unlikely to use the full cap right away.
What this means: The bill provides statutory authority for the Division of State Parks and Recreation to increase boat-registration fees within the new cap adopted by the House; the revenue is intended for upkeep and small capital needs across multiple parks and boat-launch sites.
