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Utah House Passes Resolution Opposing Unilateral Monument Designations, Urges AG to Pursue Legal Options
Summary
The Utah House passed HCR 201 on May 18, 2016, opposing unilateral use of the Antiquities Act for large national monuments in Utah and requesting Attorney General Sean Reyes pursue legal options if a designation occurs; the measure passed 64–10 and will go to the Senate.
The Utah House of Representatives on May 18 passed a concurrent resolution opposing the unilateral use of the Antiquities Act by the president to create large national monuments in Utah and requested that Attorney General Sean Reyes pursue all legal options and recourse if such a designation occurs.
Representative Jerry Stratton, the sponsor, told colleagues the resolution was about process rather than an absolute statement on the appropriateness of any particular monument. "One of those monuments being the Bears Ears National Monument," Stratton said, adding the proposal under discussion was roughly "1,900,000 acres," and urging caution and legislative involvement in the designation process.
Representative Tiara Romero read two paragraphs from the Bears Ears intertribal coalition, emphasizing the area’s cultural and spiritual importance to Native peoples and saying multiple tribes supported protection. "For Native American people, Bears Ears is a place for healing," Romero read, asking the House to remember the long history of human connection to the landscape.
Several members disputed factual claims in the resolution and questioned its framing. Representative Brian King objected to language that he said overstated the causes of Utah’s low per-pupil spending and disputed assertions about tribal opposition, noting tribal governments and chapter houses have registered support for Bears Ears. "There are some tribes that support Bears Ears," King said, and urged the House to avoid inaccurate or absolute statements.
During floor debate the body approved a package of friendly edits to the resolution. Representative Christiansen proposed language that would have the legislature and governor "request" (rather than merely "encourage") that the attorney general oppose the president’s authority and "pursue" legal remedies; Representative Dunigan successfully moved to remove the word "alleged" from a clause that described the president’s authority. Sponsors described the changes as clarifying the state’s intent and strengthening the resolution’s call for action.
After additional discussion and an amendment offered by Representative Noel to acknowledge local tribal members’ concerns and urge cooperation to preserve multiple land uses while protecting archaeological resources, the House voted to adopt HCR 201, 64 yeas to 10 nays. The adopted measure will be transmitted to the Senate for its consideration.
The resolution does not itself change ownership or management of public lands; it is a policy statement urging state officials (including the governor and attorney general) to oppose unilateral federal monument designations and to pursue legal options if the state deems them improper. The resolution references the 1906 Antiquities Act and asks state leaders to press for legislative approval and local input as part of any monument-designation process.
The House transmitted the resolution to the Senate after the vote; no court action or other formal legal steps are recorded in this session transcript.
