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Senate Advances Transfer-of-Public-Lands Bill After Contentious Debate Over Litigation Risk
Summary
Senate amended and advanced House Bill 148, the Transfer of Public Lands Act, which would direct Utah to seek transfer of most federal lands and create a Public Lands Commission; sponsors said a constitutional-defense council will study next steps, while critics warned the measure invites costly litigation.
House Bill 148, the Transfer of Public Lands Act, was debated at length on the Utah Senate floor and amended before being advanced for third reading.
Senator Chris Niederhauser, sponsor of HB 148, moved Amendment 1 to exclude national parks, monuments and designated wilderness from lands that would be targeted for state title transfer. Niederhauser said the bill sets a hard deadline — "to transfer title to all public lands in Utah by 12/31/2014" — and charges the Constitutional Defense Council (CDC) with drafting enabling legislation and a plan for managing transferred lands. He told colleagues the plan would address "open space, access, local control, and sustainable yield of…
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