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Senate advances brine‑shrimp royalty bill setting $550,000 baseline and committing to review
Summary
First Substitute SB76 would stabilize Great Salt Lake brine‑shrimp royalties at an industry‑agreed baseline of $550,000 per year and allow a predictable royalty for the industry; sponsor pledged a 3–5 year review amendment; bill moved to third reading.
Senators on Feb. 2 advanced First Substitute Senate Bill 76, a measure to standardize royalty reporting and assessment for brine shrimp harvested from the Great Salt Lake. Sponsor Senator Hatch said the state tax commission and the Department of Natural Resources worked with industry to produce a revenue‑based approach that averages the last 10 years (excluding the single highest and lowest year) and sets an assessed royalty.
"They've come up with a figure that they will assess, a royalty ... that will be stabilized each year," Hatch said, reporting that the industry representatives who harvest most of the lake support the plan. Hatch said the approach was intended to give both the industry and the state predictable budgeting and planning.
The bill’s baseline assessment discussed on the floor was $550,000 per year in royalty revenue to the state; Hatch committed to offer an amendment on third reading to add a 3–5 year statutory review date so the Legislature can reassess whether an escalator or periodic review is appropriate.
Supporters said the measure protects industry planning and helps estimate annual revenue that has fluctuated historically. Questions from senators focused on whether to include an inflation escalator and adding a legislatively mandated review date; Hatch said he would work with colleagues to draft that amendment for third reading. The Senate reported a floor roll‑call result for the reading motion of 28 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent, and the bill was placed on the third‑reading calendar.
