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Sen. Howard wins committee approval for bill adding measurement rules, exempting domestic water use
Summary
The Senate committee advanced Senate Bill 259, which adds meter/measurement requirements for permitted water users while exempting domestic and livestock uses; committee members removed funding for the Water Resources Board and the bill passed the committee by a 7-1 roll call.
Senator Howard urged the committee to approve Senate Bill 259, describing a shorter, amended committee substitute that removes some requirements from last year’s draft and omits funding for the Water Resources Board. "Water is going to become a much more valuable resource," Howard said, adding that "it's private property, right? We want to ensure that."
Howard told members the bill places measuring requirements on permitted users but does not apply to domestic uses, including pasture taps and water used to support livestock. The senator said the draft was newly filed and still subject to change to address any physical impacts and that she would coordinate with the appropriations chair on funding adjustments.
The committee struck the bill title as requested. A motion for a do-pass recommendation was made by Senator Raider and seconded by Senator Thompson. Clark called a roll; the tally was seven ayes and one nay, and the chair declared Senate Bill 259 to have passed the committee.
The bill’s supporters said they want to preserve water for future generations and offered to work with other bill authors and interested parties to refine the measure. The committee did not adopt any amendments on the floor of the hearing, and senators did not specify an implementation date during the committee action.
Next steps: the committee reported the bill favorably to the next legislative stage; further changes may be made in subsequent drafting and appropriations discussions.
