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Senate committee advances forestry bill after sponsor agrees to strip retirement language
Summary
The Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee voted 4–1 to recommend first-substitute HB 496, a forestry and fire cleanup bill, after the sponsor committed to file a substitute removing a provision that would shift seven wildfire dispatchers into the firefighter retirement system. Lawmakers debated fiscal notes tied to the Utah Wildfire Fund.
Representative Shelley presented House Bill 496 (first substitute), saying it updates code and addresses several technical areas in forestry and post-fire work. Corey Cox of Utah Retirement Systems told the committee the bill’s primary retirement change would allow wildfire dispatchers to join the firefighter retirement system rather than remain in the general public employee system.
Jamie Barnes, director of the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, told the committee the $4.3 million figure in the fiscal note reflects historic average spending from the…
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