House approves HB149 to release $16.25 million in forest-reserve funds for counties and schools

The Utah House on the floor voted to pass House Bill 149, Forest Reserve Fund Revisions, a funding measure sponsors said will unlock roughly $16.25 million in federal secure-rural-schools and PILT-related money held by the State Treasurer and distribute it 50/50 to counties (for roads) and school districts.

"We're talking about $16,000,000 in funds to both schools and county roads," Representative Michael Noel said in explanation of the bill, urging the House to move the measure quickly so federal monies already allocated to the state are not lost through offsets. Noel described the measure as a statutory mechanism to draw down the federal payments and direct them to local needs.

Sponsors and backers described the bill as an urgency item: Representative Garn moved that HB149 be lifted to the top of the third-reading calendar so the funds could be distributed promptly. Noel said the monies were being held in the State Treasurer's office and that an immediate enactment was needed to prevent an offset that would reduce counties' and schools' net receipts.

Several members stressed the bill's bipartisan, statewide impact. The sponsor said the bill passed unanimously in committee and that the Utah Association of Counties, state superintendents and rural schools groups supported the measure.

The House recorded final passage with 63 yes votes and 0 no votes; the bill will be transmitted to the Senate for further consideration. Representative Noel told colleagues that if HB149 were approved by two-thirds of the elected membership it could take effect immediately upon the governor's action or by constitutional timing provisions noted in the bill text.

What’s next: HB149 is headed to the Senate for consideration and — if approved there and signed by the governor — would authorize distribution of the identified federal funds to counties and schools per the bill's formula.