Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
House approves bill clarifying state water engineer's role amid debate over 'public welfare' tests
Summary
Lawmakers approved first-substitute HB 60 to narrow the state water engineer's decision factors to beneficial use (quantity, quality, availability), with sponsors saying protest rights are unchanged and critics seeking clarity on who decides 'public welfare.' The bill passed 54–17.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House on Feb. 3 approved first-substitute House Bill 60, which narrows the state water engineer’s review in water-right applications to questions of beneficial use — specifically quantity, quality and availability of water — and seeks to limit other non-water issues to the appropriate agencies.
Representative Tiara Shallenberger, sponsor of the bill, told colleagues the measure "comes from the state water engineer's office, and the intent is to clarify the state water engineer's role." She said the change is intended to help the engineer manage a heavy caseload of…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
