H.B. 348 Dedicated Water Amendments

What this bill does

The bill creates a new "dedicated water" application that lets water be set aside for instream flows, sovereign lands, or Colorado River Basin uses, such as getting water to the Great Salt Lake, without separating it from the underlying water right. The state engineer would review these applications under agricultural safeguards that limit how often the same field can be used, and would provide oversight and reporting; the bill appropriates no money.

Plain-English summary written by AI from the sponsor’s presentation in committee and on the floor. Check the official text below.

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Every vote

• 13 yes, 0 no, 1 absentHouse Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee: vote to change the bill · Feb 5, 2026Who voted how
• 13 yes, 0 no, 1 absentHouse Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 5, 2026Who voted how
• 70 yes, 0 no, 5 absentFinal House vote · Feb 17, 2026Who voted how
• 4 yes, 0 no, 3 absentSenate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 24, 2026Who voted how
• 26 yes, 0 no, 3 absentFinal Senate vote · Mar 6, 2026Who voted how

Hearings and debates

• Feb 5, 2026 House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (54 turns)

  1. Committee chair1:36:05

     Koford, you have two bills. The last two we'll move to HB 3 48 dedicated water amendments by Representative Koford. And this has sub one, right? You'll be speaking to sub one?

  2. Rep. Jill Koford1:36:20

     Yes, sir. I will. Thank you. And I have with me Theresa Wilhelmson, our state water engineer. Um, just to note, this bill was presented in the Utah Water Task Force and received a unanimous, um, recommendation. And I'm really excited to be able to present this bill. It's the, it's the culmination of several months of work on a number of bills to try to deliver water to Great Salt Lake. This bill creates a new type of water use approval, a new process called Dedicated Water Applications, um, that will be used for instream flows on sovereign lands, the Great Salt Lake. And in the Colorado River projects, it will protect the underlying water right. And agriculture rights. So it is establishes an application is a formal process for the state engineer to be able to actually dedicate water for delivery to the lake. It does not change the underlying water, lake water, right. It does not allow any separation of the wa under of the under wand Wright. And there's an agricultural safeguard in the bill. Um, what this does is streamline the process and the approvals it pri provides for more oversight from our state engineer and it creates some clear rules regarding any lapsing of the water. Right. And I may have left off some things, so I'll let Theresa jump in if she feels like she needs to. Would you like to comment? Sure.

  3. Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer1:37:49

     Maybe I'll just add a couple of things. So, Theresa Wilhelmson, state Engineer and director of the Division of Water aids. Um, when, and I appreciate Representative Koford for working on this bill. Um, really what we did was we thought about how we've been able to facilitate some of these leases of water to the Great Salt Lake and also some of the demands with the Demand Management program in the Colorado River. Um, the applications can be very, very complex because we have to protect existing water rights. Um, but we also know that we need to expedite the processing of these applications. So by creating a dedicated water application, it's intended that it won't affect, just like the representative mentioned, the underlying water rights that it's based on. Um, but what it will do to streamline things is, is the application will get filed, um, through one year and we'll go through the normal process to review the application, get pro, you know, advertising, protest period, um, all of that. Um, but it exempts it from needing to file proof of beneficial use. And what we would anticipate doing is putting, if those are approved, it will require annual reporting instead of, um, the proof process. And then at the beginning of the year, the user of the dedicated application can choose, do they need the water for their underlying water rights or can they dedicate it to the lake? They will, um, file that with the state engineer through the river commissioners and then we will know that year how to distribute that water and how to get it to its intended purpose, whether they needed it for the farm irrigation, or they can dedicate it to the lake or in the purposes of the Colorado River, the Demand Management program will account for it and report at the end of the year how much of that water did make it on either of those systems. So it really will help us streamline. And another important element that's in here is it says that the state engineer shall prioritize the processing of these applications so that they will come first so that we can move quickly. So Thank You. And then with the substitute, there was some added language we needed in there about fees for the process and just a couple of minor cleanups that were suggestions from the task force. With that, we're open to questions.

  4. Committee chair1:40:15

     Thank you representative, appreciate your, appreciate your work. You got two good bills here today. Uh, Representative Shallenberger.

  5. Rep. David Shallenberger1:40:23

     Okay. Thank you Mr. Chair. Um, couple quick questions for the good sponsor. This. So this bill has priority processing, moving stuff to help streamline get stuff to the front of the line as a counter effect. What does that end up kicking to the back of the line? Does that mean municipal, agricultural other, prior, other applications? I'm gonna let Theresa answer that for you.

  6. Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer1:40:49

     Go ahead, Mr. Chair. Um, it actually will kick all other applications. It'll jump in front of all other applications.

  7. Rep. David Shallenberger1:40:57

     Thank you. That's it. Thank you. Okay. Sorry. Thank you. Her percent two that answered all my questions. Okay. Her center of two. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, you know, we, we, uh, quite a bit of your, uh, presentation was dealing with a demand management program in the Colorado River. And, uh, I assume, you know, um, we had quite a bit of controversy on how the, how the Demand management program is, has played out and, and has been, uh, quantified. And, and, uh, is this gonna help with, uh, are we actually gonna see how, see if water makes it downstream with this, uh, will this help, uh, help determine that? Mr. Chair? Go ahead.

  8. Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer1:41:43

     Yes. Um, so once we approve those applications with that annual tracking, um, they will declare what they're gonna use. And then Arc River Commissioners, and you're familiar with some of the commissioners that we have out in your area, will actually track that through their regular distribution accounting and then report it at the end of the year.

  9. Rep. David Shallenberger1:42:03

     I, I'd like to continue, if I may. Go ahead. So, uh, you know, in our demand management we've had quite a bit of, of question of whether, uh, anything's been actually been delivered or not. And, uh, are we, is this gonna help us determine whether uh, water actually makes it to where it's, uh, intended to? Willis, do you feel we have an opportunity or do you, is, and I'm curious about, um, how are we gonna see that it doesn't get diverted if, if upstream gets, uh, gets, uh, dedicated? How are we gonna determine whether it, it makes it to where it's intended to?

  10. Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer1:42:37

      Go Ahead, Mr. Chair. Um, so whether it's a dedicated water application or a temporary change or a permanent change or fixed time, um, those dedicated water applications, or sorry, the demand management applications that are being filed on the Colorado are a mix of all of those. Um, what this will do is help streamline so that they come through in a standard format so that it's easier for us to process them and for our River commissioners to track 'em. Um, once it's in a River Commissioner system, then absolutely we have the measurement and turning those head gates and making sure it gets passed where it needs to go, and then measuring that it did get there. So that will be all part of, um, the accounting at the end of the year.

  11. Rep. David Shallenberger1:43:23

      Okay. Thank you Mr. Chair.

  12. Unknown speaker1:43:25speaker not certain

      Yeah, I as a follow up to what, uh, Representative Chew said, so a lot of this does have to do with the Colorado River. Um, and, and we're up against the clock February 14th right, with the feds. If we don't come to an agreement on the Colorado River, the Basin states, then the Feds will make that decision, correct?

  13. Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer1:43:48speaker not certain

      I'll answer that. Um, the hope is that there will be an agreement, um, but I think the Demand Management program helps in a, helps ensure that any water dedications are voluntary and not forced.

  14. Unknown speaker1:44:03speaker not certain

      Okay. So if, if the Secretary of Interior makes a decision on the Colorado River, will it affect anything in this bill? No. Okay.

  15. Committee chair1:44:14

      Thank you Representative Owens.

  16. Rep. Doug Owens1:44:19

      Thank you Mr. Chair. I just wanted to understand in plain English, sometimes it helps when I read the technical language to have the plain English understanding in mind. And I think I understood you to say, besides the jumping in priority of a dedicated applica a water, an application for dedicated use, there's also a presumption of beneficial use. Is that right? You don't have to consider that. Or what did you say anything along that line? Or you did it, does this have no bearing on what's a beneficial use?

  17. Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer1:44:47

      Um, no. So, and Mr. Chair, if I can answer that, um, the beneficial use would be either dedicated to, on sovereign lands or in stream flow, um, to get it to its intended purpose. Um, I think what you might have, um, what I might have said was proof of beneficial use. So that is a water rights term that when you approve a, a water right, you have so many years to place that water right to use and then you have to file proof that you have done so.

  18. Rep. Doug Owens1:45:15

      Gotcha. Okay. And then you get a certificate, this application or this, this type of process will not have that. It'll be annual reporting and deliveries and then tracking at the end of the system. Okay. Thank you. And then season one other question, if I could, um, either to the sponsor or to the engineer, there's a portion in here, line 3 0 3, starting deny. You may deny an application if you determine it would cause the drying of land essentially, and it could be taken out of ag use. And I, I understand, I think the priority you're getting to, but wondering if you might speak to that and what the policy thought there is. Um, are we, is this gonna help us not do drying up our ag lands that are being dedicated to the Colorado? I think it might be worth a, a moment of time just to focus on that. Explain that a little bit. Yeah.

  19. Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer1:46:07

      So there was a balance that we were striking between how many years water could be dedicated for the instream flows or this purpose, and it was two out of five. We wanna make sure that that's being balanced really carefully.

  20. Rep. Doug Owens1:46:19

      Yeah. Okay. I, I I like that priority. I think that's good. I, I think it should have. I, I just, I'm glad to have a little attention to it. Thank you. Thank you.

  21. Committee chair1:46:30

      Your representative. Further, further questions from the committee Representative Chew another bot at the Apple.

  22. Rep. Scott H. Chew1:46:39

      Yes. I appreciate that, Mr. Chair. You know, uh, and I appreciate the questions from, uh, Representative Owens. Uh, you know, two years seems like a very reasonable time. Any, any time more than that, uh, we would probably be almost effectually turning our, our, uh, farms back into the desert. So, uh, so, uh, I think that's a good, a good timeframe. We've had a lot of people weigh in on that representative. We appreciate that.

  23. Committee chair1:47:07

      Thank you, representative. Further clarifying questions, seeing none, um, I'll bring it back to public comment. Uh, anybody in the room? Come on up. Welcome, director.

  24. Brian Steed, Commissioner, Great Salt Lake Commissioners Office1:47:27

      Thank you so much. Uh, good afternoon. Uh, my name is Brian Steed. I'm the commissioner of Gray Salt Lake. Uh, just want to commend the sponsor of the bill as well as the state engineer for the many, many hard hours spent on making a complicated process easier. Uh, this is something that will be important to getting water where it needs to be, either in Great Salt Lake or in the Colorado system, and truly appreciate the hard effort we fully support. Thanks.

  25. Committee chair1:47:48

      Thank you. Next.

  26. Jordan Neilson, Trout Unlimited1:47:56

      Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, committee. My name is Jordan Nielsen. I am the state Director for Trout Unlimited. Uh, trout Unlimited has a history of working with the ag sector on unique water leasing programs that have potential to benefit both the farmer and natural systems. The problem we've always faced is whether to do a change application, what the change application should look like, or whether we should apply for non-use. In most of the programs that we've used, non-use is a less ideal method for dealing with their water and making sure we keep it in good standing. We want to thank the bill sponsor and the state engineer for working to create a unique designation for a water right that adds flexibility, provides for tracking of water leases, and gives flexibility to the ag sector in water management. We see this as a good, as good for issues with that we're facing both great Salt Lake and the Colorado River, as well as water shortage issues elsewhere. So, thank you.

  27. Committee chair1:48:49

      Thank you. Next.

  28. Brick Daniels, Great Salt Lake Rising1:48:57

      Hello, uh, Mr. Chair. My name is Bri Daniels. I am a law professor at the University of Utah. I'm not here in that capacity, um, rather, I am here on behalf of Great Salt Lake Rising. Um, great Salt Lake Rising is a group that was formed earlier this year. It's part of the, the governor's, uh, it was part of the announcement of the government's charter that this organization came through to basically, uh, take the muscle of Utah philanthropy and aim it at the lake. Um, I, I come here to speak in favor of this bill. Uh, we think it's a critical bill. This, and, uh, representative ER's next Bill four 10, uh, are our, our highest priorities, uh, this session, and we're very grateful for her and, uh, all the work that she's put into this. So, thank you representative, and also thanks to the state engineer. Um, the engineer's office has, you know, worked so hard and frequently only gets criticism, but I'm just, they, everyone is hinging on what they do, and it's just so critical that the work that they've done. And I, I want to thank the state engineer as well. Thank you. Thank

  29. Committee chair1:50:03

      You. Thank you for your testimony. Next,

  30. Soren Simonsen, Executive Director, Jordan River Commission1:50:11

      Good afternoon, members of the committee. My name's Soren Simonson. I'm the executive director of the Jordan River Commission and Jordan River Watershed Council staff. Uh, good to see many of you who I know well and appreciate your good work. Uh, I I have not had the opportunity to meet Representative Koford, and I appreciate, uh, your coming and presenting this bill. Um, I can tell you exactly where we'll see the benefit of bills like this. If you go to, to, to look at the Jordan River, near the point of the mountain development in, uh, in Bluffdale and, and Draper area, you'll know when water gets to the Great Salt Lake, because you'll see it in the Jordan River. First, we want water in the Jordan River. We want to see Instream flows increased. It supports recreation, it supports a healthy riparian corridor. And, uh, so what benefits the Great Salt Lake also brings great benefit to the Jordan River. Uh, the efforts to, um, streamline water rights and, uh, tracking how that water makes it to the Great Salt Lake is really vital. And would love to invite any of you to come and look where you'll see it on the ground or in the stream where it happens. As it does, uh, encourage you to support this, we know it's really critical to the future of our lake and the whole watershed system connected to the Great Salt Lake. Thank you for your support.

  31. Committee chair1:51:30

      Thanks for being here. Thank you. Next,

  32. Alyssa May, Mormon Women for Ethical Government1:51:40

      Good afternoon. My name is Alyssa May, uh, I thank you for the opportunity to comment. I am here representing Mormon Women for Ethical Government and WEG for Short. And Weg is a nonpartisan grassroots organization de dedicated to committing, to creating a more peaceful, just and ethical world. And Weg supports supports HB 3 48 as an important reform to Utah's water rights system. And as part of a broader effort to manage Utah's precious water resources, water rights holders should not face unnecessary burdens in order to voluntarily commit water for beneficial use. This bill creates a clear, dedicated water application process, allowing water rights holders to commit water to instream flow, sovereign lands or reservoir projects without permanently altering or relinquishing their underlying water. Right. We are grateful to the committee for their consideration of this legislation. This bill is one small step of many needed actions to protect our state's wellbeing and water security during, during the ongoing drought. For these reasons, we ask the committee to vote in favor of HB 3 48. Thank you.

  33. Committee chair1:52:51

      Thank you. Next, I think we had one more, maybe.

  34. Alissa Daily, Utah Association of REALTORS1:52:59

      Thank you, Mr. Chair Alyssa Daley with the Utah Association of Realtors. Just wanted to speak in support of this legislation. We really appreciate representative Ward's willingness to tackle tough issues. Obviously, the Great Salt Lake is really important to quality of life here in Utah is something our members care deeply about for the health and safety of our communities, and we appreciate the effort. Thank you.

  35. Committee chair1:53:22

      Thank you. You folks have testified. Please sign, please. Next,

  36. Steve Erickson, Great Basin Water Network1:53:31

      Uh, Steve Erickson Great Basin Water Network. Uh, we particularly appreciate the transparency that's in this piece of legislation. Uh, uh, hopefully we will be able to track all, everything that, uh, makes it to both the Colorado and the Great Salt Lake in an effective manner. And this bill makes sense, so, uh, we can support it.

  37. Committee chair1:53:49

      Thank you, Mr. Erickson. Anyone else in the room? Seeing none. We'll go online. Mr. Warren Peterson, you there? You're annoyed in Oasis, Utah, I take it.

  38. Warren Peterson, Farm Bureau1:54:04

      Yes. From Oasis, Utah. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, and I'm, I'm glad to see that you have your adult supervision in the room with that Delta girl today. So that's, it's good. And could you speak up a little please? I can, uh, I'm speak, uh, speaking on behalf of Farm Bureau. Uh, I'm representing Farm Bureau today and speaking in support of the bill. Thank you for this opportunity. A note, um, maybe stating the obvious, but there's a quiet cadre of people that have been working to benefit Great Salt Lake for many years in, in my case, over over 20. And this, it's good to see this bill. It's part of a, it is part of a sustained effort. It's not working in its own on its own. It's part of a sustained effort to bring, uh, good, good management to bear and, and help with, uh, those that want to help the lake and the farmers do. So, uh, I thank the sponsor and the state engineer for working closely with us on preparing this bill and the first substitute, we think it will accelerate efforts for agriculture to help with the lake by streamlining process, reducing complexity, uh, for both Great Salt Lake and for the Colorado, Colorado River Demand Management. So it's a, it's a very good bill. We support it and ask for you to give it a positive recommendation.

  39. Committee chair1:55:22

      Thank you, Mr. Peterson. Nobody else. Okay, that's, uh, all the public comments. We'll close public comment and bring it back to the committee for action. We do the first sub, first sub. I'll remind you, you

  40. Rep. Shipp1:55:45

      Yeah, I'd like to, uh, move that we adopt, uh, first sub HB four 10 water leasing amendments,

  41. Committee chair1:55:55

      Motions in order. Would you like to speak to

  42. Unknown speaker1:55:57speaker not certain

      It? No, no, no. Dude. Did I get the wrong one? Yeah, We're in 3 48. Okay. 3 48. Yeah, I mean, we can skip ahead if you want. Do 'em all. I have the same. I had My glasses off.

  43. Committee chair1:56:07

      Okay. Let's move to adopt, uh, first sub on HB 3 48 Motions in order. Would you like to speak to?

  44. Unknown speaker1:56:15speaker not certain

      I'll waive. Okay.

  45. Committee chair1:56:18

      Discussion to the motion Representative Shallenberger, Are there any substitutes?

  46. Unknown speaker1:56:26speaker not certain

      That's what we're passing right here. Yeah, I love it. Okay. I love this bill. And I endorsed the substitute and, and the bill. Thank you.

  47. Committee chair1:56:35

      Sorry, I was distracted for a second by all the positive comments. I can understand your detraction. You're talking to the speaker, so pay attention as we go forward here. All right. Uh, we have a motion further discussion to the sponsor for summation.

  48. Rep. Jill Koford1:56:52

      I, I appreciate all the great comments. I wish I could take credit for everything that happened in this bill, but it was a culmination of a lot of people, a lot of effort, a lot of work, and wouldn't have happened without really the leadership of our state water engineers. So I'm just grateful to be here and be the sponsor.

  49. Committee chair1:57:08

      Thank you Representative Shipp. I'll waive Motion read and waived. Uh, I'll place that motion that we pass out favorably. Adopt the sub, adopt the sub to HB 3 48 sub one. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Carry on Representative.

  50. Rep. Shipp1:57:28

      Yeah, I move to pass with a favorable recommendation. First sub HB 3 48 dedicated water amendments

  51. Committee chair1:57:37

      Motions in order. Would you like to speak?

  52. Unknown speaker1:57:40speaker not certain

      Oh, it's, if this is a really good bill. I've got everybody from all sides, uh, liking this bill. So good job representative, The sponsor. I'll Waive. Thank you.

  53. Committee chair1:57:52

      Alright, uh, go back and place the motion that we pass out favorably Substitute one to HB or House Bill 3 48 as substituted dedicated water amendments by Representative Koford. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Carry on. Representative Koford.

  54. Rep. Jill Koford1:58:13

      Thank you all. Thank you for the support.

• Feb 17, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (5 turns)

  1. Speaker (presiding)1:15:17

     Per substitute house Bill 3 48. Dedicated water amendments by Representative Koford. This bill was sort of natural resources, agriculture and environment with a vote of 13 0 1 Representative Koford.

  2. Rep. Jill Koford1:15:30

     Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Um, this bill actually creates a new process to deliver water to some certain very, some very, very important projects and areas. Mainly the Great Salt Lake and the Colorado River projects. Um, it creates a dedicated water application which prioritizes the application. It makes it, um, it keeps it with its underlying right, but it jumps it to the front of the line. So these water rights can actually be dedicated for instream flows where we want them to go. There's some agricultural safeguards in the bill and, um, oversight and reporting with the state water engineer. There's no new funding in the bill. Basically, colleagues, what this bill does is it allows us to actually deliver water to the Great Salt Lake. And with that, Mr. Speaker, I'm open to questions.

  3. Speaker (presiding)1:16:21

     Thank you Representative Koford discussion to the bill. I see none. Back to Representative Koford for summation.

  4. Rep. Jill Koford1:16:29

     It's a good bill to quote my committee chair in natural resources.

  5. Speaker (presiding)1:16:33

     Thank you. Representative voting will now be open on first substitute HP 48, seen all present and voted. Voting is now closed. First substitute HB 3 48 passes this body with 70 s votes zero and all votes will be sent to the Senate for its consideration.

• Feb 24, 2026 Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (31 turns)

  1. Committee chair1:05:49

     So third item will move to the fourth item on the agenda. Representative Koford, welcome to our committee. We'll call house Bill three forty eight per substitute, dedicated water amendment.

  2. Rep. Jill Koford1:06:01

     Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I have got with me, um, Theresa Wilham, our state water engineer, who is going to help me if you guys have some technical questions, depending on how in the weeds we decide to Hear you. What's that? Put your mic up. Is that better? That's Better, yeah. Okay, there we go. Um, HB 3 48 dedicated water amendments helps to actually clear up, clear a path to deliver water to the Great Salt Lake. The bill creates and clarifies a new type of water use approval in Utah called dedicated water applications. This is mainly for instream flows for use on sovereign lands and in the Colorado River Basin as well. This, this new application protects the underlying water, right? And it also protects agricultural land. It does is in establishing this new application, it streamlines the process so that we can actually get water to the lake, um, while protecting, like I said, the underlying right. There's no segregation. It can't, um, the dedicated water can't be separated from the underlying right. Um, there is an agricultural safeguard so that the state water engineer has some discretion on how those are approved. No more than two and five years can be approved on the same field. Um, and mainly what it does is streamline the whole process, provides some oversight and reporting for our state water engineer and, um, it appropriate no money. And with that, I'm open to questions. Okay, great. And Theresa May want to jump in if I've left anything out? I don't think so. Okay. Okay. We'll keep the director handy in case we need to phone a friend.

  3. Committee chair1:07:38

     Uh, are there any questions from the committee? Clarifying questions? Have one representative mention the modifying of the fee provision.

  4. Unknown speaker1:07:46speaker not certain

     Can you speak to that, what that Involves? I can, when

  5. Rep. Jill Koford1:07:49

     actually I may have have, um, Theresa speak to that a little bit.

  6. Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer and Director, Utah Division of Water Rights1:07:53

     I think it just brings things in line with everything that we do when you may, when you, um, submit a change application. Okay. So it's just in line with current practice.

  7. Committee chair1:08:02

     Thank you. You wanna speak further? Director could no,

  8. Teresa Wilhelmsen, State Engineer and Director, Utah Division of Water Rights1:08:05

     It, it just, we need to get the fee on that and we use those dedicated credits as part of our funding. Okay.

  9. Committee chair1:08:11

     So, yep. Helpful. Thank you. Okay. No, no. Uh, further question from the committee. So I'll open it to the public and anyone here would like to speak to this? Yes, I see two of them. Okay. Welcome. You know the drill.

  10. Tim Davis, Executive Director, Utah Department of Environmental Quality1:08:25

      I do. Mr. Chair, members of the committee. Tim Davis. Uh, DEQ, executive director. I'll be brief and if you'll let me bend the rules just a little bit. Uh, Mr. Chair, I'll speak to this bill as well as, uh, house bill, uh, four 10 to use your time as wisely as I can. Uh, when we're talking about getting more water to the lake and making it easier to get more water to the lake, it, it doesn't just benefit the, the lake itself, but the best way to address potential dust coming from the lake is to get water to the lake. So, um, I, I want to, uh, thank the, uh, representative as well as the state engineer's office for working to, to, to make easier for water to be dedicated to the lake in a way that doesn't undermine, uh, underlying water rights and other water right holders. So, happy to answer any questions.

  11. Committee chair1:09:09

      Okay, great. Thank you for your testimony. I don't see any questions, so we'll go next in the room. We have two online, but go ahead in the room. Thank you.

  12. Conner Peterson, Director of Legislative and Government Affairs, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food1:09:18

      Thank you. Connor Peterson. I'm the Director of Legislative and Government Affairs with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Uh, we just like to rise in support of this bill and, and thank the sponsor in the state engineer for their good work. Um, you know, we believe in encouraging good conservation practices while also protecting sustainable agriculture, um, and feel that this does this. And it's a great companion. Uh, with the next bill we're gonna discuss, uh, and encourage support. Thank you.

  13. Committee chair1:09:41

      Great. Thank you. Governor, please come up. Yes, welcome. Introduce

  14. Hannah Freeze, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner1:09:48

      Yourself. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, my name is Hannah Freeze and I serve as the Deputy Commissioner on Great Salt Lake. Also would like to speak in favor of this bill. Um, we appreciate the good representative's work as well as the state engineer that have struck a very delicate and needed balance on being able to prioritize, um, moving water to the Great Salt Lake while protecting our underlying water rights. Um, and also recognizing, uh, the need to make things easier and the process easier for our agricultural community who have stepped up, uh, to participate in this process as well. So thank you.

  15. Committee chair1:10:18

      Great. Thank you for coming in your testimony. Any others in the room? Okay, we have two online.

  16. Committee chair1:10:25

      I'm gonna start with Alyssa May. Uh, uh, Alyssa, if you could turn on your camera and unmute. We'll give you a few minutes to share your testimony. Hello? We can hear you and there you are.

  17. Alyssa May, Mormon Women for Ethical Government1:10:45

      Okay. Hello. Good afternoon. Um, I'm Alyssa May and I am representing Mormon Women for Ethical Government and WEG for Short. We are a non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to creating a more peaceful, just and ethical world. We support. HB 3 48 is an important reform to Utah's water rights system. And as part of a broader effort to manage Utah's precious water resources, these water rights holders should not face unnecessary burdens in order to voluntarily commit water for beneficial use. This bill creates a clear, dedicated water application process, allowing water right holders to commit water to instream flow, sovereign lands and reservoir projects without permanently altering or relinquishing their underlying water. Right. This bill reduces legal risk for those participants by disallowing the splitting of their water rights. And this will provide water rights holders with the needed security to contribute to conservation. We're grateful to the committee for their careful consideration of this legislation and thankful to the sponsor for all of her work. This bill is one small step of many needed actions to protect our state's wellbeing and water security during our ongoing drought. Even today, for these reasons, we ask the committee to vote in favor of HB 3 48. Thank you.

  18. Committee chair1:12:02

      Thank you. Hi. Okay, our last public comment will be, uh, Mr. Warren Peterson. Uh, unmute and turn on your camera.

  19. Warren Peterson, Farm Bureau1:12:17

      Thank you for your patience, Mr. Chair, while I get the technology on online.

  20. Committee chair1:12:21

      You're great. We can hear and see you.

  21. Warren Peterson, Farm Bureau1:12:24

      Very good. Uh, my name is Warren Peterson. I'm speaking today on behalf of Farm Bureau. Um, I'm calling in from beautiful downtown Oasis. Thank you for accommodating that. Yeah. Form of participation, uh, farm Bureau strongly supports the bill. We're, we're grateful to the sponsor for working all the way through development of this bill so that we knew that it was a good fit for agriculture. Uh, there's a quiet cadre of people that have been helping great Salt Lake for years. Farmers are among them. We know that we're all in this together. This bill is good for the Great Salt Lake and also for farm participation in the great in, in Colorado River demand management programs. So we urge a, uh, favorable recommendation and thank the sponsor for her Good work. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

  22. Committee chair1:13:07

      Okay. Thank you for joining our committee today. Thank you. Okay. I was gonna, we will close public comment and then bring it back to the committee for further discussion or action.

  23. Committee chair1:13:18

      Senator Hankins, you are batting a thousand again. Thank

  24. Sen. David P. Hinkins1:13:22

      You. Uh, Mr. Chairman, I would make a motion that we pass out house Bill 3 48 first substitute with a favorable recommendation.

  25. Committee chair1:13:29

      Thank you for that. Motion's in order. Uh, the motion is that we pass out house bill 3 48, first substitute to the full body of the Senate as their discussion to the motion saying none.

  26. Committee chair1:13:42

      Let me come back to the sponsor for summation.

  27. Rep. Jill Koford1:13:45

      I appreciate this. This bill is the result of many months of work wouldn't have happened without a lot of people in the room thinking, um, about how to solve a problem. And I am just grateful to play a small role in that. So I appreciate the support.

  28. Committee chair1:13:58

      Thank you representative. Senator. Uh, I've heard no opposition to it, so I would say let's pass it out.

  29. Committee chair1:14:03

      Okay. Well let me place that motion. All in favor of passing out in house Bill 3 48 per substitute. Dedicated water amendments indicate by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? If any, say nay passage unanimously.

  30. Committee chair1:14:17

      Thank you representative. Appreciate

  31. Rep. Jill Koford1:14:18

      It. I think I'm gonna stay right here.

• Mar 6, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (6 turns)

  1. Rep. Jill Koford2:07:29

     Thank you Mr. President. Uh, this bill deals with dedicated water. Dedicated water is typically water being transferred of, uh, in a, uh, joint way between, uh, agricultural use into, uh, m and i. And, uh, it clarifies the, in the code some of the things that need to be done around transferring that water under dedicated rights. Um, state engineer worked on this, on this language and, uh, I'd be open for any questions.

  2. Senate President (presiding)2:08:00

     Say no questions. Senator Sandall, I'm going to go to you for summation and award.

  3. Sen. Scott D. Sandall2:08:04

     Thank, thank you. I move. First substitute house Bill 3 48 pass. Thank

  4. Senate President (presiding)2:08:08

     You. And the question is, under suspension, the rule shall house bill first substitute house Bill three forty eight pass. Roll call

  5. Unknown speaker2:08:14

     Vote. Senator Vickers. Baldy Aye. Lewin Aye. Bramer bus? Aye. Comore Escamilla Aye. Fillmore Aye. Grover Harper Aye. Hankins Aye. Ipson Aye. Johnson Juab McKay Mikel Milner Musman Owens pitcher Plum Rebi Sandal Stevenson Stratton Bickers Weiler Wilson Winterton, president Adams Aye.

  6. Senate President (presiding)2:09:02

     First substitute house Bill 3 48, having received 26 yay votes, zero nay votes, three being absent passes the Senate and will be signed by the President Tim. And return of the house for the signature of the speaker.