Legislators / Scott H. Chew
Scott H. Chew
Republican · House District 68
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Contact Rep. Scott H. Chew
- Email: scottchew@le.utah.gov
- Phone: 435-630-0221
- Office: PO BOX 126, Jensen, UT, 84035
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Every committee hearing and floor session is open to the public and streamed live on le.utah.gov. Each committee's agenda has the link to watch or join online, and how to sign up for public comment.
Scott H. Chew serves on:
- Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee
- House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee
- House Public Utilities and Energy Committee
- Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee
- Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Interim Committee
- Legislative Water Development Commission
What they've said
212 remarks on 46 billsS.B. 252 Water Usage at State-owned Facilities Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Says he is ready to ask questions after the presiding officer recognized him.
▶ Watch at 33:00Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Co Representative Koford. Sorry, right before I went back to you.
S.B. 252 Water Usage at State-owned Facilities Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Asks what the bill's 75% distribution uniformity requirement means.
▶ Watch at 33:10Read what they said
So, uh, the bill talks about a, um, 75% distribution uniformity. Do you have any idea what that means?
S.B. 252 Water Usage at State-owned Facilities Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Asks whether the efficiency rating applies to the application or the entire irrigation system and asks for the sponsor to keep yielding.
▶ Watch at 33:34Read what they said
And is That, or rating of that? Uh, another question if you, if you don't mind Representative, will you continue to yield? I
S.B. 252 Water Usage at State-owned Facilities Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Repeats the question about whether the efficiency rating applies to the application or the entire irrigation system.
▶ Watch at 33:43Read what they said
So, uh, 75% efficiency, is that just on the application or is that on the, the entire, uh, irrigation system?
S.B. 252 Water Usage at State-owned Facilities Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Says he understands the measurement but finds it hard to judge without a test, and considers the bill probably acceptable.
▶ Watch at 34:17Read what they said
I, I think I understand what, what's uh, meant here. It's, uh, but I, I feel like it's, um, it's a difficult question to answer, uh, without, um, you know, a, a good, um, a good experiment, I guess we'd say. So anyway, I, I think I understand what's going on and it, and it's probably an okay thing.
S.J.R. 8 Joint Resolution to Initiate a Law School at Utah Valley University · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Notes that his own area has a definition of the Wasatch Front and comments on the earlier question.
▶ Watch at 50:30Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh, just, uh, kind of a point of, uh, interest on the question that the, the former representative asked of the sponsor. We have a definition of the Wasatch front over in my area, and, uh, I probably had not a repeated on the floor. Thank you Representative.
S.B. 201 Shelter Animal Euthanasia Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Asks whether the amendment is verbal and confirms it is a floor amendment.
▶ Watch at 1:35:17Read what they said
Well on lines? Um, Is this a verbal amendment representative? Pardon me? I just, uh, it's a floor amendment. Verbal floor. Verbal amendments? Yes. Okay.
S.B. 201 Shelter Animal Euthanasia Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Proposes inserting 'in a county of the first or second class' after 'shelter' on line 34 and asks to speak to the motion.
▶ Watch at 1:35:34Read what they said
Uh, after the word shelter, I would like to insert in a county of the first or second class. Okay. Representative? Uh, so line 34 would read an animal shelter in the county of the first or second class may euthanize an animal. That's that, that's what I'm trying to do. Yeah. That motion is in order. Would I speak to it?
S.B. 201 Shelter Animal Euthanasia Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Gives a summation on his underlying amendment and asks for members' attention.
▶ Watch at 1:45:45Read what they said
for summation on your under underlying motion. I Think we've had a good debate on this and, uh, uh, I would appreciate your attention. Thank you.
S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Expresses concern about the bill and says he has not yet seen the substitute.
▶ Watch at 22:54Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh, we're very concerned about this Bill. I have not seen, uh, the, the substitute I would appreciate. Oops. I wish I'd have said a motion to reserve the right.
S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Expresses concern about the bill and the substitute, saying it hinders Uintah Basin air quality efforts and reduces funding for studying ozone there.
▶ Watch at 22:54Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh, we're very concerned about this Bill. I have not seen, uh, the, the substitute I would appreciate. Oops. I wish I'd have said a motion to reserve the right. Thank you representative. Yeah, I'm not finished. Ms. Speaker. Oh, sorry. I'm not sure. I'm, I'm in, in order here. I wanted to reserve the right to make a motion, but, uh, I, I've spoke so I'm not sure I can do that. Uh, you have to reserve the right representative before I know Right When I started and, and, and I didn't get start, I didn't start properly. Would you like to continue to speak representative? Pardon Me? Would you like to continue to speak? …
S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Says he wanted to reserve the right to make a motion but may have already spoken.
▶ Watch at 23:12Read what they said
I'm, I'm in, in order here. I wanted to reserve the right to make a motion, but, uh, I, I've spoke so I'm not sure I can do that.
S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Says he did not begin his remarks properly.
▶ Watch at 23:23Read what they said
Right When I started and, and, and I didn't get start, I didn't start properly.
S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Says he shares concerns about Basin air quality and that the bill reduces funding for studying it.
▶ Watch at 23:35Read what they said
Uh, yes, I would. Uh, I I share the, the same, uh, concerns and we're very concerned out in the N basin with, uh, with this, uh, bill because it does hinder the, the ability that we've, uh, developed in order to deal with our air quality out there. You know, just like the, the Wasatch front over here we get, uh, a bad inversion with ozone. And, uh, it, it, the, the bill creates a, it takes money away from our, uh, from our opportunity to study the, the era out there. And I appreciate the, the good speaker from Carbon County, or the good representative from Carbon County, um, mentioning that also.
S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Supports circling the bill so members can review the third substitute, saying it would not take long.
▶ Watch at 27:11Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a very important thing. Uh, the clarification, uh, the, the second substitutes, all that was available to me this morning when we were, uh, discussing it with my folks back home. And I would think that we could, uh, if this, uh, third substitute is good, I don't see any reason why we couldn't circle it. And I could, uh, at least look at the third substitute to see what the heck's going on there. And, uh, it wouldn't take very long to bring it back. So I would appreciate the body allowing us the time to circle this. I, I understand the, the concern of the, of the good majority leader, but I …
S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Supports circling the bill so he can review the third substitute, which he says was not available to him this morning, and says it would not take long.
▶ Watch at 27:11Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a very important thing. Uh, the clarification, uh, the, the second substitutes, all that was available to me this morning when we were, uh, discussing it with my folks back home. And I would think that we could, uh, if this, uh, third substitute is good, I don't see any reason why we couldn't circle it. And I could, uh, at least look at the third substitute to see what the heck's going on there. And, uh, it wouldn't take very long to bring it back. So I would appreciate the body allowing us the time to circle this. I, I understand the, the concern of the, of the good majority leader, but I …
S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Says the bill is important and expresses concern about its effect on the Basin, expecting further discussion to address it.
▶ Watch at 35:30Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I mean this, uh, is, is very important to the state. Uh, what the, the part that, uh, is, uh, affecting you in a basin. I anticipate with some, uh, further discussion, we'll be all right. It's too bad that this bill's, uh, Blanding, uh, on the timing of our, of our session right now, but I definitely feel like that it will be able to take care of this. Uh, it's just something that's a serious concern in the basin. Thanks for, uh, for the discussion on this bill.
S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Says the bill is important to the state, expects further discussion will address the basin's concerns, and notes that serious concern remains in the basin.
▶ Watch at 35:30Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I mean this, uh, is, is very important to the state. Uh, what the, the part that, uh, is, uh, affecting you in a basin. I anticipate with some, uh, further discussion, we'll be all right. It's too bad that this bill's, uh, Blanding, uh, on the timing of our, of our session right now, but I definitely feel like that it will be able to take care of this. Uh, it's just something that's a serious concern in the basin. Thanks for, uh, for the discussion on this bill.
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Presents H.B. 473, which moves the Colorado River Authority of Utah from the governor's office to the Department of Natural Resources and transfers its appropriated funds.
▶ Watch at 1:18:20Read what they said
Thank You. Thank you Mr. President. This legislation strengthens Utah at the critical moment that we have on the Colorado River. Uh, despite recent storms, Utah has still experienced one of the worst winters on record and the persistent drought and low reservoir levels pursue per escalating risks to the water future. That what this bill does is it's able to take the Colorado River Authority of Utah from the governor's office and move it to the Department of Natural Resources, uh, to provide the transition. It takes the money that had been appropriated and it just moves that money over to that. And because of all the expertise that DNR has in the, uh, their department, it'll help on …
S.B. 209 Gooseberry Narrows State Park Study · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Chew asks the sponsor to yield to a series of questions.
▶ Watch at 1:41:56Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We'll, uh, sponsor yield to, uh, a series of questions. Yes, Representative Shelley, will you yield to a series of questions?
S.B. 209 Gooseberry Narrows State Park Study · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Chew asks whether the proposed land has active grazing permits and whether fencing would be needed if the park proceeds, and thanks the sponsor for the answers.
▶ Watch at 1:42:06Read what they said
So, uh, Mr. Speaker, we found out, uh, when we, uh, talked about this in, in committee that this, uh, proposal was within the National Forest Service. And I got to wondering, do you know whether the, the, uh, land where this would be is, uh, has, uh, uh, active grazing, uh, permits going on there? Yes, I do. There are active grazing permits, however, almost all of the land is privately owned. And years ago, the Sanpete Water Conservancy District purchased the rights to back up a reservoir on that private land. So the small amount of federal land would be impacted. But it's a very small amount. Almost all of it is private and the agreements are in …
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Mar 4, 2026
Chew said a long presentation is not needed and that he had not prepared one.
▶ Watch at 1:12:38Read what they said
Uh, I don't think we need a long presentation. Uh, good. 'cause I haven't prepared one. Thanks. We,
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Mar 4, 2026
Spoke on the bill. · speaker not certain
▶ Watch at 1:13:53Read what they said
I, all I can say is third times is the charm, so thank you. Thank you representative. Yep. Sounds good. Some point the fourth time is begging though. At that point then it's like too much. Right? You know, that's how it was. My wife asked me that when I asked her to marry her four times.
S.B. 190 Trailer Registration Amendments · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Spoke on the bill. · speaker not certain
▶ Watch at 41:32Read what they said
Thank you. As, as the sponsor of the greatest trailer bill in history, which was no registration at all. Um, I, my question is, why did we come up on four times? So you pay, you got, uh, you gotta register your trailer and you have to pay four times the amount of the registration, and it's good for a lifetime. Uh, thank, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh, and I'll, I'll do kind of an informal point of order. The prior bill referenced was only for single axle trailers. So the lifetime exemption, I just need to get that on the record.
S.B. 190 Trailer Registration Amendments · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Asks whether there would be a refund if a trailer is sold within the four-year period. · speaker not certain
▶ Watch at 43:08Read what they said
Thank you. Mr. Speaker. One other question. If say someone was to sell their trailer inside that four years, would there have been any sort of refund?
S.B. 190 Trailer Registration Amendments · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Says he supports the legislation and would have preferred a different fee. · speaker not certain
▶ Watch at 43:19Read what they said
Thank you. Well, um, we are where we are and I'm supportive of the legislation. Uh, wish that it was times one, but, uh, maybe, maybe I can run a bill like that some other year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
S.B. 190 Trailer Registration Amendments · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Asks how a lifetime registration will be indicated on the trailer's plate.
▶ Watch at 43:47Read what they said
So, uh, you know, every year when we register our our vehicles, we get a little sticker in the mail that, uh, uh, we put on our license plate. How do we anticipate it'll be, um, you know, we'll recognize whether I've got, uh, my, uh, trailer that's just been sitting out at the trail for the last five years and the stickers fell off from it. Uh, for one that's got, how are we gonna indicate? How are we gonna indicate that, uh, the, the vehicle has a, uh, lifetime on it?
S.B. 190 Trailer Registration Amendments · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Asks how a lifetime registration would be shown on the sticker and license plate.
▶ Watch at 43:47Read what they said
So, uh, you know, every year when we register our our vehicles, we get a little sticker in the mail that, uh, uh, we put on our license plate. How do we anticipate it'll be, um, you know, we'll recognize whether I've got, uh, my, uh, trailer that's just been sitting out at the trail for the last five years and the stickers fell off from it. Uh, for one that's got, how are we gonna indicate? How are we gonna indicate that, uh, the, the vehicle has a, uh, lifetime on it?
S.B. 190 Trailer Registration Amendments · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Says it will be interesting to see how long the lifetime sticker lasts.
▶ Watch at 44:43Read what they said
Okay. I, I appreciate that. It'll be interesting to see how, uh, how long the lifetime, uh, sticker stays. But, uh, thank you.
S.B. 190 Trailer Registration Amendments · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Says he appreciates the answer and will watch how long the lifetime sticker lasts.
▶ Watch at 44:43Read what they said
Okay. I, I appreciate that. It'll be interesting to see how, uh, how long the lifetime, uh, sticker stays. But, uh, thank you.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Presents H.B. 431, which adds consultation with the Division of Wildlife Resources and stakeholders to recommend wildlife crossing projects, and creates an option for vehicle registration and hunting or fishing license applicants to make voluntary contributions for wildlife connectivity.
▶ Watch at 1:33:33Read what they said
and Consultation with the division of, uh, wildlife Resources and other stakeholders to recommend projects for the Transportation Commission to prioritize. Then it creates an option for applicants for vehicle registration or hunting, fishing licenses to make voluntary contributions to support wildlife connectivity. Oftentimes, especially out in rural areas where you have major freeways or highways, um, the connectivity is you might have grazing allotments on each side of a busy freeway. And this would allow those animals, wildlife to cross, um, in a safe manner. That's what the bill does. I would be open to questions.
H.B. 494 Transfer of Water Interests · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Mar 3, 2026
Explains the substitute amendment, which addresses irrigation companies and the difference between company shares and water rights, and calls the bill a technical correction that passed water committees unanimously.
▶ Watch at 1:21:10Read what they said
I, I appreciate that. Of course you guys know, but, uh, um, I need to identify myself. I'm representative Scott Chu and, uh, yeah, this is something that's been a, a confusing issue with, uh, in the water world. And I was concerned, uh, the reason I brought, uh, a, a substitute amendment forward was because, uh, what I was concerned that we weren't, uh, taking in consideration, uh, irrigation companies. And so, uh, that, you know, just, there's, there's, there's quite a difference between shares of a corporation or a water company, uh, compared to the water rights. And so that's what we've got here. Thank you. And then, uh, I'd like to hear from the state water engineer …
H.B. 563 Radon Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Mar 2, 2026
Asks Adelaide Benney Mathews about her grade and whether she has visited the Capitol, and thanks her for testifying.
▶ Watch at 26:47Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't have a a question for, uh, the mother, but I do for, uh, Adelaide, if she wouldn't mind answering. Uh, I'm just curious, what grade are you in and have you ever been up to the capitol before? I'm in third grade and I have not been up to the Well, I appreciate you coming here. It takes a lot of, uh, nerve to, to sit up in front of a bunch of us old cusses up here, but, uh, certainly, uh, you've done a good job and, uh, your mom's work is really important. Thanks for coming up here with her
H.B. 537 Olympic Ticket Sales Tax Exemption · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Mar 2, 2026
Reports that after last week's discussion the sponsor met with DOT and Wildlife Resources and concluded the TIF fund is the only workable structure for the wildlife crossings proposal, citing the Parleys Canyon overpass as the first of its kind.
▶ Watch at 20:41Read what they said
You, uh, Mr. Chair and the committee. I appreciate the opportunity. You know, after our discussion last week, we took, uh, the committee's a advice and, uh, and, and tried to answer some of the questions that the committeemen, uh, had. Uh, we met with DOT and, uh, wildlife Resources. And, uh, our, our conclusion of that meeting was our, our only opportunity to, uh, to structure what we, we are trying to do here with W Wildlife Crossings is, is to use the, the TIF fund. Uh, it's, um, it just because of the way it's structured, as you know. Um, and, and we discussed last week, the, the wildlife overpass going across, uh, interstate 80 at the top …
H.B. 363 Water Easement Amendments · House floor debate (day 38) · Feb 27, 2026
Says the amendment improves the bill but he still struggles with changing the use of the canal and is not sure it is the right thing to do.
▶ Watch at 28:26Read what they said
Further discussion to the bill Representative. Chew Mr. Speaker. I'd have to say, you know, the, how it's been amended definitely makes it a better bill. I'm still really struggling with it through the fact that, that we're talking about the potential of changing the use of what it was to something else, uh, because we get it. Uh, you know, a recorded ownership. What? I'm not sure that, uh, you know, if, if it's a canal and the city takes over the canal from a, an irrigation company that is dissolved, they're not in the water, uh, transfer business. And so I really struggle with this is the, the, I worry that we're, we're getting the, the camel's nose …
H.B. 572 Behavioral Health, Mental Health, and Social Services Amendments · House floor debate (day 38) · Feb 27, 2026
Says the bill would help a rural facility that needs staff and reduce long emergency personnel trips to transport patients.
▶ Watch at 1:23:44Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh, I really appreciate what I, my good, uh, colleague from Provo has to say about this bill. I'd like to add too that in my part of the world, we, uh, would, could really benefit from this. We have a, we have a, a facility that needs to be staffed and, uh, we don't have the money to staff it. This will help, uh, bring those people there instead of us having to take the folks that need help to where they can be, uh, serviced. When we have to do that, lots of times it takes our emergency personnel away from the, uh, the basin from our area for up to eight hours just …
H.B. 572 Behavioral Health, Mental Health, and Social Services Amendments · House floor debate (day 38) · Feb 27, 2026
Says rural areas would benefit from the bill, since a facility there needs staffing and emergency personnel currently spend hours transporting patients to urban care.
▶ Watch at 1:23:44Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh, I really appreciate what I, my good, uh, colleague from Provo has to say about this bill. I'd like to add too that in my part of the world, we, uh, would, could really benefit from this. We have a, we have a, a facility that needs to be staffed and, uh, we don't have the money to staff it. This will help, uh, bring those people there instead of us having to take the folks that need help to where they can be, uh, serviced. When we have to do that, lots of times it takes our emergency personnel away from the, uh, the basin from our area for up to eight hours just …
H.B. 386 Immigration Amendments · House floor debate (day 38) · Feb 27, 2026
Urges a yes vote, saying legal immigrants should be considered before others and that state resources should go first to people here legally. · speaker not certain
▶ Watch at 1:52:55Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we forget sometimes to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants and we lump them all into the same category. There are a lot of people who have worked for years, waited for years, stood in line at embassies for years to get here and they have never been able to come. They were trying to do it the right way and they, they are not rewarded for that. I also think that there's a fallacy with the compassion. Um, the way we portray compassion. We, if we are compassionate to those who come the legal way and we are compassionate to those who already live here, that does not mean that we lack compassion …
S.B. 209 Gooseberry Narrows State Park Study · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Rep. Chew said he had long been confused about the project's location and asked for the map to be shown and oriented.
▶ Watch at 1:03:27Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have two or three questions. I probably, uh, first time I ever heard about, uh, gooseberry Pro Projects, probably some 40 years ago. A good friend of, uh, uh, an acquaintance between me and the center, both, uh, we'll just call him Edwin, talked about it quite a bit. And, uh, I've always been, uh, kind of lost on where the, the conversation's been. 'cause the only place I know of where there was a gooseberry is if you travel east on Interstate 70 between Salina and, and, uh, Fremont Junction. There's a, a, a gooseberry that you go up and can eventually, you can get to, uh, fish, fish lake. And I thought, what …
S.B. 209 Gooseberry Narrows State Park Study · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Rep. Chew asked what type of land ownership the area involves.
▶ Watch at 1:05:11Read what they said
Okay. I, I, I know where that area is now. I appreciate it. I never had realized before that was it. So what my next question is, and I think the director di alluded to it, is this, uh, the land that it would be on is Forest service, is that, uh, or is it mostly forest service, or what type of land, uh, would this, uh, would, would it entail, uh, for a, uh, you know, to do that, the, is it a combination? Is there, is there private or, or what do we have up there?
S.B. 209 Gooseberry Narrows State Park Study · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Rep. Chew asked whether soil and holding-capacity tests had been done at the site.
▶ Watch at 1:06:02Read what they said
Do you know whether, uh, if I might continue, Mr. Chairman, do you know whether there's been, uh, soil samples and some of the things done? Is that just part of what would be the, uh, we need to know as far as how the, uh, what the holding capacity, you know, I mean, uh, how good the holding capacity would be on that, or if it would, you know, I, I know, uh, in my, on my range of some of the old timers, here's a heck of a good wash. We can build a, a stock watering pump, build a beautiful berm, and then, uh, catch some water and a week it's all, you know, soaked back into …
S.B. 209 Gooseberry Narrows State Park Study · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Rep. Chew asked whether a site visited on a past tour was the same area.
▶ Watch at 1:08:09Read what they said
I appreciate that. I got o one one final question. Okay, go ahead. So, uh, uh, to the, I just wonder, Senator, you know, last summer we went on our, uh, the snow college, uh, a TV drive. We went up in, in the area and looked at some stuff, and if I remember correctly, you, you told us a, a story about how a, you as a young person had this slave away up there on digging the ditch and stuff. And, and, uh, but, but that where we were at is probably a little farther south than where you're talking about now,
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Presents the bill, which creates a $2 million wildlife and livestock safety fund within the Transportation Infrastructure Fund, accepting donations, to pay for crossings, fencing and culverts, citing $135 million in annual collision costs and the upcoming Olympics.
▶ Watch at 1:33:12Read what they said
Thanks. Committee. I appreciate the opportunity to be here today. Uh, 4 31 was, uh, is a bill that, uh, that I was, uh, made aware of right when we started session, and, uh, felt like it was something we needed to, to, to work at or look at, you know, especially with the, the, like, we're gonna be, uh, hosting the Olympics in a few years. And, and I don't think there's anything much worse than, uh, coming in from, uh, one of our neighboring states on the interstate and seeing a bunch of, uh, dead, uh, wildlife laying on the side of the road. And especially when we have probably we, one of the premier, uh, wildlife crossings …
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Says he believes the figure came from Pew research and that others present could explain it better.
▶ Watch at 1:36:39Read what they said
That came from, uh, I believe it was Piute Research. I'm not sure some of the folks here, uh, probably could do a little better job answering that than I could, but that's where I got it from. Thought it was a fascinating number.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Says a committee of stakeholders would decide spending priorities based on the greatest return.
▶ Watch at 1:37:42Read what they said
So as, as far as, uh, knowing where the money will be spent, that's, uh, the object of having a, um, a group, a committee, an organization that we put together that, uh, will, uh, determine where that needs to be to be spent or the higher priorities and the what would consider will be the most benefit for our, uh, return on our dollar.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Says Parleys Canyon was a successful test and now the state is looking at where and how to fund more crossings, and suggests UDOT's Lisa Wilson could explain further.
▶ Watch at 1:40:09Read what they said
So I don't have, uh, the exact reason for it. I have an idea of why, from some of what I've heard. There may be somebody here that could answer it a little bit more. But what I understand is, like, our Parleys Canyon was kind of a test. Let's see if it's gonna work. And, uh, it's been such a successful one, and I'm not a hundred percent sure of how the, the funding came for that, but it was such, has been deemed such a successful one that now we're looking at where do we need to, to do these things and how are we gonna fund them. And so that's where this is kind of came in. …
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Says he had not anticipated the question and does not have an answer.
▶ Watch at 1:43:24Read what they said
So I I'm sure you know, senator, that, uh, I try to be, uh, prepared on, on what I, on, on questions or things. And that's something I hadn't anticipated. I, uh, uh, I don't have an answer for you on that.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Says he is unsure whether anyone present can answer.
▶ Watch at 1:43:42Read what they said
I'm not sure whether someone here does have an answer for that or not, but
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Says I-80 and I-84 are the current priorities due to traffic volume, speed and migratory paths.
▶ Watch at 1:45:04Read what they said
Well, The, the ones that are signaled right now are definitely I 80 and I 84. Yeah. And, you know, it's because of the volume of the traffic and the speeds and, and the number of, uh, wildlife, uh, yeah. Migratory paths that those, uh, intersect.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Agrees and adds that growing areas like Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs could also be considered.
▶ Watch at 1:45:23Read what they said
Would guess? Uh, yeah. Yeah. Most of 'em would be, yeah. Okay. That's, You know, we've got some, uh, things that we would be considering, you know, similar like what's happening down in, uh, Eagle Mountain and, uh, Saratoga Springs and those areas where, where, um, uh, you know, um, populations have grown into those, uh, habitat, uh, migration paths.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Says he expects it to cover state roads, since B and C roads are slower with less traffic.
▶ Watch at 1:45:59Read what they said
Uh, my anticipation is it would be state level roads, not, not the smaller ones that are, you know, um, you know, we could really fix this pretty easily if we could. Uh, if we could slow traffic down to 55 miles an hour, we're never gonna do that again. It's not gonna be that speed. But, uh, these, these kind of instances would be, and there, our, our b and c roads are, are, uh, generally a little slower and, uh, not so much volume through, through there and, and, um, yeah. You know, there's
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Agrees and notes high-speed collisions cause greater harm to occupants and vehicles.
▶ Watch at 1:46:28Read what they said
It's not quite as much of an issue. Yeah. You know, you, you slam into an animal at 80 miles an hour. Uh, the, the possibility of physical damage to the operator and the occupants of the car, uh, plus the damage that's done is, uh, is, is high.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Explains he was told, secondhand, that after meetings with the Speaker and transportation officials the TIF was deemed the best funding source to start with.
▶ Watch at 1:46:45Read what they said
So, so, uh, I'd like to say on, on your, uh, questions about the, where the funding came from and the idea for that. Um, you know, uh, I, I got, um, was asked about this if I was interested in this bill, and I thought it was a, a, a real interesting bill to take on. And it was, uh, I was asked, um, after a meeting that the, the folks had with the, the speaker about this, and he, uh, uh, told me, and of course this is only hearsay 'cause I was just told that, uh, they felt like the TIF fund was be the best after talking to transportation. This might be the best place to, …
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
In summation, says the $2 million amount was suggested by transportation officials, describes the economic and emotional toll of animal collisions including a Christmas Eve elk crash, and thanks the committee for the motion.
▶ Watch at 1:59:25Read what they said
Sure. I appreciate that. And I appreciate those comments. Senator Brammer, uh, the, the $2 million was suggested and it was, uh, suggested by the folks within the transportation. So that's, uh, where we, uh, came up with that number. And I appreciate that. Uh, you know, uh, one of the young ladies that, uh, testified said that, uh, I, I had some figures, they're probably older than her, said that 7,000 deer, uh, are annually and killed. I, I had 5,000, but 7,000, I'm not gonna argue with that. 10,000 elk are annually, maybe not killed, but at least, uh, struck. And, uh, it's interesting, the, the emotional toll that it, that, uh, a driver, uh, experiences or the …
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Feb 26, 2026
Thanks the chair and says he will work on the suggested approach and return.
▶ Watch at 2:07:20Read what they said
I really appreciate that, uh, uh, Senator and, uh, I, I've gotta tell you guys this, you know, this is the first time I've, I've, I've been in, uh, sat before this committee and I, and I've had a little bit of, uh, what apprehension I, I felt like I might feel like a deer in the headlights. And, and so I, uh, I I appreciate that. And, and we'll get, uh, busy on that and, and be back.
H.B. 494 Transfer of Water Interests · House floor debate (day 37) · Feb 26, 2026
Chew moves to adopt the first substitute to the bill.
▶ Watch at 1:53:32Read what they said
Motion to motion to sub Thank you representative as that Motion to adopt Substitute one. Motion To adopt Substitute one. Thank you
H.B. 494 Transfer of Water Interests · House floor debate (day 37) · Feb 26, 2026
Chew explains that committee action led to a substitute that clarifies the difference between water shares and water rights and assigns shares to specific land.
▶ Watch at 1:53:43Read what they said
So, uh, Mr. Speaker, the committee action intended to amend but wound up, uh, with a sub because of, uh, anytime you throw a rock in the pond by you get a ripple effect. And we wind up with a little more than we anticipated. This bill affects the whole state from Porcupine Reservoir near Paradise to the Great Basin aquifers in, uh, the lower end of the state, Colorado River and the Great Salt Lake. The purpose of HB 94 94 sub one is the same as the original bill. It clarifies the difference between water shares of a company and water rights. It's needed because a lot of land that water is associated with has been built on …
H.B. 494 Transfer of Water Interests · House floor debate (day 37) · Feb 26, 2026
Chew gives his closing remarks, praising the sponsor and saying he is glad to be his teammate on the bill.
▶ Watch at 1:56:03Read what they said
So, uh, the sponsor is a good friend of mine and I literally mean that. Not just, uh, figuratively speaking, even though, uh, I affectionately sometimes accuse him of not knowing enough to drink from down, uh, below the herd. And, uh, I need him to know that I'm honored to be his teammate on this bill. And I feel that he has his rope firmly around the horns. And alls I've gotta do is pick up the heels. Thanks.
H.B. 494 Transfer of Water Interests · House floor debate (day 37) · Feb 26, 2026
Gives summation describing the sponsor as a good friend and saying he is honored to be teammates on the bill.
▶ Watch at 1:56:03Read what they said
So, uh, the sponsor is a good friend of mine and I literally mean that. Not just, uh, figuratively speaking, even though, uh, I affectionately sometimes accuse him of not knowing enough to drink from down, uh, below the herd. And, uh, I need him to know that I'm honored to be his teammate on this bill. And I feel that he has his rope firmly around the horns. And alls I've gotta do is pick up the heels. Thanks.
S.B. 21 Geothermal Amendments · House Public Utilities and Energy Committee · Feb 25, 2026
Asked how geothermal is treated on private lands compared with federal lands.
▶ Watch at 49:53Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I, uh, understand the way it was presented, that, uh, if I understand correctly, that geothermal is considered a part of the mineral estate on federal lands. And, uh, on, on what about private lands?
S.B. 21 Geothermal Amendments · House Public Utilities and Energy Committee · Feb 25, 2026
Said he understood the answer and that the bill does not change existing practice.
▶ Watch at 50:57Read what they said
So, I appreciate that answer, Mr. Uh, chairman, that's, that's, uh, exactly how I understand it. And we're not trying to change anything that's not just been the norm anyway. Just, uh, just recognizing the ability of the, of the estate engineer to do her thing, so to speak. So I appreciate that.
H.B. 479 Election Code Modifications · House Public Utilities and Energy Committee · Feb 25, 2026
Asks whether a mail voter could still drop a ballot in a drop box or would be locked into one method.
▶ Watch at 3:21:54Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, one of the main questions that I've been, uh, asking and was kind of brought in on some of the public comments are, um, if, if, if you opt, if you wanna vote by mail and you get your, your ballot, you fill it out and you're headed to town and you think, heck, I'm not gonna drop it in the post office, I'll drop it in a Dropbox. That's what we've been able to do. The last while, is that option still gonna be available or do I have to have to have said ahead which particular method I'm going to do then stick to that method?
H.B. 479 Election Code Modifications · House Public Utilities and Energy Committee · Feb 25, 2026
Asks whether counties like Uintah will be limited in the number of drop boxes.
▶ Watch at 3:23:24Read what they said
Mm-hmm. Yep. One more question. Alright. Okay. So, uh, another question that, that has came up. Uh, I saw a chart that looked like my county U Nena County was only entitled to one Dropbox because of the way numbers are. Is that, is that what we're gonna, are we limited on, on the number of drop boxes that we have in our, in our counties?
S.B. 72 Obscene Animal Abuse Material Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 25, 2026
Says he is glad the bill exempts normal animal husbandry practices, such as a calf-stimulating procedure that may look like abuse but helps newborn animals.
▶ Watch at 41:41Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm, I'm glad to see, you know, that it says that, um, uh, practices that are, uh, normal to animal husbandry are not in included in this. 'cause, uh, you know, uh, recently there's been a discovery, well, it's probably been known for quite a while, but it hasn't been very well advertised that there's a, uh, procedure called the, I, I'm not sure I'm pronouncing it properly, called the Madigan, uh, uh, squeeze. And, uh, when sometimes, uh, calves or, or colts folds or, uh, are born and they're pretty lethargic. We call 'em dummy dummies or whatever, poor little guys. And, uh, it's been discovered that, uh, if you can, uh, you know, take …
H.B. 119 Automotive Repair Business Amendments · House floor debate (day 36) · Feb 25, 2026
Asks how many friends it took to push start that car.
▶ Watch at 1:10:46Read what they said
How many of your high school buddies did it take to push start that car?
H.B. 119 Automotive Repair Business Amendments · House floor debate (day 36) · Feb 25, 2026
Asks how many people it took to push-start that car.
▶ Watch at 1:10:46Read what they said
How many of your high school buddies did it take to push start that car?
H.B. 119 Automotive Repair Business Amendments · House floor debate (day 36) · Feb 25, 2026
Says he had a similar car in high school.
▶ Watch at 1:10:56Read what they said
It sounds like a real similar car to what I had in the, in high school.
H.B. 119 Automotive Repair Business Amendments · House floor debate (day 36) · Feb 25, 2026
Says he had a similar car in high school.
▶ Watch at 1:10:56Read what they said
It sounds like a real similar car to what I had in the, in high school.
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 24, 2026
Presented HB 473 second substitute, saying it moves the Colorado River Authority under the Department of Natural Resources and lets it support the water agent and prepare with the Attorney General for potential litigation.
▶ Watch at 43:23Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair and Committee. I can't tell you this. Uh, yeah, it's on. I can tell now. Um, appreciate this. You know, um, I'm sure everybody's aware of, of the situation with the Colorado River and, and just recently we, none of us have had, uh, well, we didn't get a, uh, a, a new, uh, uh, compact, which is what we'd hoped for, for, uh, five, four years ago. Five years ago now, I guess, when we set up the Colorado River Authority and, uh, last fall, we decided, we realized we we're gonna have to, uh, extend the authority than what we, than where we've got it currently go until, uh, till, uh, that 1st of …
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 24, 2026
Said he would look up the specific line and introduced Cody Stewart to answer the question.
▶ Watch at 47:32Read what they said
So gimme a second to, to get down to that line. I've got Cody Stewart here who's been involved with the entirety of the thing to, to help with some of this, so I'll pull that up and, and perhaps Cody knows that answer right off without having to get down to the, to the line.
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 24, 2026
Closed by saying the authority still conducts conservation work such as demand management, that the bill is a cleanup and structural update, and that Utah intends to defend its Colorado River rights.
▶ Watch at 55:53Read what they said
I appreciate that and I appreciate the attention of the committee. I'd like to comment a little bit on, on some of the questions or some of the concerns that were brought up. You know, uh, uh, it was mentioned that, uh, we'd taken, uh, conservation out of the bill, but we have not taken conservation out of what we do at all. Uh, you know, we're, we're, uh, very active in in making sure we keep the demand management, uh, program, uh, alive, which, uh, is, is helping us with that. And, um, you know, uh, with water scar scarcity is, is not theoretical. It's, it's real. And, uh, other basin states are aggressively preparing to, for the litigation …
H.B. 492 Transportation, Infrastructure, and Housing Amendments · House floor debate (day 35) · Feb 24, 2026
Asks to yield to a question from the sponsor.
▶ Watch at 1:22:37Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro tem with the sponsor yield to a question. The sponsor yield? Yes, go ahead.
H.B. 492 Transportation, Infrastructure, and Housing Amendments · House floor debate (day 35) · Feb 24, 2026
Asks the sponsor why a specific entity is named in code for an infrastructure loan rather than going through a standard application process.
▶ Watch at 1:22:37Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro tem with the sponsor yield to a question. The sponsor yield? Yes, go ahead. Thank you. Um, in lines 2 71 to 2 75, there is a specified recipient of a, um, sorry, infrastructure loan. I'm just wondering what the purpose is for specifying one particular entity in code for a loan would be, rather than having them go through a process to receive those loans.
H.B. 492 Transportation, Infrastructure, and Housing Amendments · House floor debate (day 35) · Feb 24, 2026
Asks why the bill names a specific entity for an infrastructure loan rather than having it go through an application process.
▶ Watch at 1:22:44Read what they said
Thank you. Um, in lines 2 71 to 2 75, there is a specified recipient of a, um, sorry, infrastructure loan. I'm just wondering what the purpose is for specifying one particular entity in code for a loan would be, rather than having them go through a process to receive those loans.
H.B. 492 Transportation, Infrastructure, and Housing Amendments · House floor debate (day 35) · Feb 24, 2026
Asks who owns the 50 acres of land, and the sponsor answers that the state owns it, not a city or county.
▶ Watch at 1:24:17Read what they said
May I ask a follow up question? Mr. Speaker, who owns the 50 acre? I mean, will you yield, will the, will the sponsor yield to an additional question? I will Go ahead. Who owns the 50, I think you said 50 acres of land. Who currently owns that land? The people of Utah, the state. Not a particular city or county. It's within Draper City limits, but no, it's state owned land. We own the land. Thank you. Thank you.
H.B. 492 Transportation, Infrastructure, and Housing Amendments · House floor debate (day 35) · Feb 24, 2026
Asks who currently owns the 50 acres of land.
▶ Watch at 1:24:17Read what they said
May I ask a follow up question? Mr. Speaker, who owns the 50 acre? I mean, will you yield, will the, will the sponsor yield to an additional question?
H.B. 492 Transportation, Infrastructure, and Housing Amendments · House floor debate (day 35) · Feb 24, 2026
Asks who currently owns the 50 acres of land.
▶ Watch at 1:24:29Read what they said
Who owns the 50, I think you said 50 acres of land. Who currently owns that land?
H.B. 494 Transfer of Water Interests · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 23, 2026
Raises concern that under the bill a shareholder in a 10-owner company could water bank 40 percent of shares and whether that requires specifying acreage.
▶ Watch at 37:51Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Come on. There we go. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I appreciate the, and I apologize for, uh, both Mr. Peterson, the state engineer, the drafting attorney, the sponsor, and, uh, we worked on this over the weekend. I appreciate you taking time to, but we never did quite all get everything together. I've got some concerns still with this bill. And, uh, what my concerns are is, uh, you know, in lines 55 through 60, it talks about that, uh, if, uh, if I'm gonna sell some of my shares and, and, and, uh, Warren or, or Theresa, either one of you guys, uh, I know we've talked a little bit, …
H.B. 494 Transfer of Water Interests · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 23, 2026
Says the answer still leaves a dilemma about specifying acreage for a percentage of water and raises concern about the shareholder rules language.
▶ Watch at 42:04Read what they said
I understand that, but this still leaves us with the dilemma. I mean, if I, if I, uh, if I participate in a program like what's going on with the Colorado River and, uh, you know, the demand management or the S-C-C-P-P or whatever all that stuff is, and, uh, and, and I'm only raising grain and I figure I can get by on, on 60% of my water, I don't wanna give up. I don't want to have to say that I'm not going to irrigate a certain portion of my land because I have, uh, have, you know, removed the water off from it. I'm only removed the percentage, not the acreage. And that I have a dilemma …
H.B. 494 Transfer of Water Interests · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 23, 2026
Asks whether water companies are a different entity from irrigation companies and says he is concerned about the bill's effect.
▶ Watch at 45:58Read what they said
So, Mr. Mr. Chair, uh, I, I understand that, but I'm just concerned and, and I'm not, uh, I don't have a, a concern, uh, and, and I understand if this is a, a culinary water shares, uh, I, I get it. They're totally different than, than irrigation. But I'm just concerned about is, is this, you're talking here, water company, is that a different, uh, are we talking a different entity, uh, than a irrigation company? Is that, are we talking a difference here? That's what, uh, maybe we're, would, uh,
H.B. 494 Transfer of Water Interests · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 23, 2026
Says he will vote for the bill and may propose a floor amendment if his remaining concerns are not resolved before the floor vote.
▶ Watch at 50:24Read what they said
Chew. Thank you, Mr. Chair. You know, uh, I appreciate the, uh, the opportunity we have to work on these builds the way we do. And, and I, I understand what, what we need to do here. I just have a question about whether we've got it exactly like we need it. And of course, that's what we'll do. And, and, and I'm gonna vote for this. I want you to know that, because I feel like that between now and when it comes up on the floor, we can, if I, uh, still have, uh, have concerns and we figured out how to address them, then uh, we can, we can make a floor amendment if that's what we …
H.B. 533 Groundwater Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 23, 2026
Raised concerns about what the results of water conservation are, and supported a groundwater study and interim study.
▶ Watch at 1:09:10Read what they said
So, uh, I've got some concerns and, and the discussion, uh, that was brought up, uh, brought up, uh, one that I've been, uh, you know, towing it with in the last couple of years, trying to figure out how to be the, just what we're doing. And I think this bill, uh, brings forward, uh, the concern I've had, you know, uh, uh, we're talking and, uh, and the, and the good gentleman that, uh, native from, uh, Delta expressed, uh, I think, you know, uh, the concern is what are we actually doing with all of the conservation? I mean, you know, uh, when I grew up, I can remember, uh, uh, smokey the bear and every, only …
H.B. 536 Criminal Conduct on Public Lands Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 23, 2026
Asked whether the bill covers historical sites as well as natural or archeological places.
▶ Watch at 1:18:23Read what they said
Ahead. Thank you, Mr. Chair. You know, uh, your, your bill, uh, uh, uh, says natural or archeological, uh, places. What about, and, but, uh, uh, deputy Wyatt, um, mentioned historical, and that was what my question was. Would historical if, uh, sebe included in, in this, or do we have to have something separate for that?
H.C.R. 14 Concurrent Resolution Supporting the Transfer of Federally Managed Lands · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 23, 2026
Said the resolution is a good step, that private land is being lost to federal ownership, and that small pieces of land will not create a domino effect.
▶ Watch at 1:46:02Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the motion by, uh, a good, uh, representative from Millcreek. And, and, uh, I, I think that, uh, uh, the representative from, uh, Paradise, uh, brings up, you know, some good points. I'd also like to say that, that every day we are losing some of our, our private property back to the federal government. And I think that some of these, uh, uh, things we need to investigate and the opportunities need to be, and I think we have a few more opportunities we need to look into. And so I think this is a good step. I really appreciate the, the good representative from Bountiful bringing this, uh, forward. I think it …
H.B. 326 Animal Depredation Amendments · House floor debate (day 34) · Feb 23, 2026
Asks whether aerial hunting under the bill is open only to private property.
▶ Watch at 1:35:24Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker Pro Tem. Hey, uh, will the sponsor yield to a question? Will The sponsor yield? Yes, go ahead. So, uh, on the aerial, uh, opportunity for aerial hunting, that is the way I read it. And is that only open, uh, to private property?
H.B. 212 County Formation Amendments · House floor debate (day 31) · Feb 20, 2026
Asks the sponsor to yield to a series of questions.
▶ Watch at 16:15Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the sponsor, uh, yield to a series of questions? Representative Tesser, will you yield to a series of questions?
H.B. 212 County Formation Amendments · House floor debate (day 31) · Feb 20, 2026
Asks whether discussions considered letting counties recombine, noting some interest in doing so in connection with Colorado River discussions.
▶ Watch at 16:25Read what they said
So, uh, Mr. Speaker, in the, in the conversations that, uh, have lead up have led up to this, uh, to where we're at today, has there been any discussion about, uh, a way for, uh, for counties to, to, uh, combine back to be a county that they were once before where two counties, uh, um, might be interested in becoming the original county again? Yeah, that's, that's a great question, Mr. Speaker. Um, that was not the scope of the working groups that I've been on, and so we, we, we didn't really discuss that. So the reason I ask that there's been a little bit of interest in, uh, the possibility of, uh, of unifying a, a …
H.B. 37 Used Oil Management Act Amendments · House floor debate (day 31) · Feb 20, 2026
Chew said the bill may change in the Senate, called the Senate amendment not too bad, and said he is in favor of concurring.
▶ Watch at 24:38Read what they said
Well, you know, we all, uh, never know what's gonna happen to our bill when we send it over to the Senate, but this isn't too bad of a, uh, uh, not too bad of a, of, of an amendment. So, uh, uh, I'm in favor of concurring.
H.C.R. 12 Concurrent Resolution Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence · House Public Utilities and Energy Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Asks a colleague from Cedar City what he did during the 200th anniversary.
▶ Watch at 30:44Read what they said
Thank you. I, I appreciate the motion by the, the good, uh, uh, representative from, uh, Cedar City. And I'm just kind of curious, you know, um, not too long ago the speaker referred to, uh, to us guys as, uh, kind of the older ones. And I'm just wondering representative if, uh, if you remember what you did during the 200 year anniversary. So, uh, I can tell you're not paying much attention to me. He has your attention now. You might wanna re-ask the question. So, uh, I just wondered about the representative from Cedar City, if he remembers what he was doing at the 200 year anniversary.
H.C.R. 12 Concurrent Resolution Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence · House Public Utilities and Energy Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Suggests a colleague from Ridgefield might also remember where he was during the 200th anniversary.
▶ Watch at 31:48Read what they said
Alright. Okay. Was that, I Can remember where I was. I, I believe the, the good representative from Ridgefield might remember where he was at too.
H.B. 512 Land Surveyors Licensing Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Asked what a township, range, and section legal description means.
▶ Watch at 38:13Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. You know, I'm always interested when we have something that deals with surveying, and I'm just curious to, uh, um, if, if I see a legal description that says W2, W four, S two, uh, R 23 ET five s, what would that be?
H.B. 512 Land Surveyors Licensing Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Asked the name of the survey base corner.
▶ Watch at 39:25Read what they said
So, uh, the, what's the name of that corner down there on, uh, the southeast corner?
H.B. 512 Land Surveyors Licensing Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Described finding survey section corners while hunting and asked for the same description.
▶ Watch at 39:40Read what they said
So when I'm out in the mountains hunting and I come up onto, uh, one of these little section corners, I guess you call 'em mm-hmm. Take a picture and send it to me. You'll give me the same description. Yes. Only a different range township.
H.B. 512 Land Surveyors Licensing Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Described survey brass caps in his area dated between 1916 and 1949 and shared a story about his grandfather surveying by chain.
▶ Watch at 40:19Read what they said
you, Mr. Chair. You know, uh, it's interesting. In, in my area, uh, a lot of those brass caps, whether they're section corners or quarter corners or whatever they're called, um, they'll also have the date that they were surveyed. And in my area, they, they vary somewhere between 1916 and 1949. And yet in this part of the state, uh, I assume they're probably, uh, quite a bit prior to that. Yes. Yeah, we saw as early as 1890. Anyway, it's an interesting thing. I always like when I ride by one to, to see it, but I gotta tell you, my grandpa drug a chain, when they chained our, when they, uh, rain, when they surveyed our part …
H.B. 512 Land Surveyors Licensing Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Spoke on the bill. · speaker not certain
▶ Watch at 45:11Read what they said
I wave not been that Story. There's been plenty of speaking to it. I'd have a story, but I, I'll I'll wave this time To, to the sponsor.
H.B. 512 Land Surveyors Licensing Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Commented on the consent calendar motion and said he would not object to it. · speaker not certain
▶ Watch at 46:09Read what they said
So, so, uh, I think that you probably got a good, uh, bill to, to put on the consent calendar, but I, I, I kind of, uh, would maybe be disappointed. I think we wouldn't be able to share some of our stories on the floor, but, uh, but I do feel like this probably needs to move forward. And so, uh, for that reason why, uh, I'll contemplate being okay with that, uh, motion.
H.B. 341 Animal Fighting Penalties · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Says he supports the amendment's removal of the word livestock and its specification of fowl.
▶ Watch at 52:09Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. You know, uh, one thing that I think, uh, it kind of, maybe a clarification on amendment too is, is I like the fact that it, that it crosses out the word livestock and specifies file in that, uh, uh, you know, in that, in that particular amendment. So I think that's a lot more appropriate for what we're trying to do here. So, uh, that's, I think it's a good thing. Thank
H.B. 341 Animal Fighting Penalties · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Asks what dog fighting paraphernalia means.
▶ Watch at 54:38Read what they said
I, I do. Um, you know, uh, the discussion about the paraphernalia, what, what would, uh, what is dog fighting paraphernalia? I mean, you know, uh, I can remember seeing on, on cartoons when we were, uh, when I was a kid, which was a while ago. Uh, there might be a, a dog drawn with, uh, a collar that had spikes. I know they, uh, uh, I understood that some of the old bear, uh, fighters or bear uh, hunters use some of those kind of things with their dogs just to protect them from the, the bear. So what would, what is, uh, considered, uh, dog fighting paraphernalia?
H.B. 341 Animal Fighting Penalties · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 19, 2026
Suggests the devices relate to physical conditioning of dogs.
▶ Watch at 55:54Read what they said
Hmm. Okay. Sounds like a lot of that stuff is the conditioning of the dog as far as he is. Physical conditioning. Yeah. Okay. Thanks
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
Says he has been reviewing Colorado River material and moves to adopt the second substitute.
▶ Watch at 1:12:34Read what they said
Ironically, I've just been listening to the, the Colorado River report and, uh, so gimme just a second. I'll grab my notes. Um, I need to move the second sub. Okay. Thank you. Motion is to represent Chu second sub, Second sub second sub. Just a moment, let's see if we can find it.
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
Says the bill strengthens Utah's position on the Colorado River and adjusts the Colorado River restricted fund.
▶ Watch at 1:13:31Read what they said
Yes, please. Thank you. Um, the, the legislation strengthens, uh, Utah's, uh, critical, uh, uh, what, uh, their critical, uh, status with the Colorado River. And, uh, the second, the second sub simply makes, uh, adjustments to accommodate what might happen or might not happen. Either way. We need to, uh, make the adjustments on the, on, on the restricted fund, uh, the Colorado restricted fund. And that's what, uh, the second sub does.
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
Explains that the second substitute adjusts the Colorado restricted fund to account for possible outcomes in the Colorado River situation and strengthens Utah's position.
▶ Watch at 1:13:31Read what they said
Yes, please. Thank you. Um, the, the legislation strengthens, uh, Utah's, uh, critical, uh, uh, what, uh, their critical, uh, status with the Colorado River. And, uh, the second, the second sub simply makes, uh, adjustments to accommodate what might happen or might not happen. Either way. We need to, uh, make the adjustments on the, on, on the restricted fund, uh, the Colorado restricted fund. And that's what, uh, the second sub does.
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
In summation, says the second substitute has no fiscal impact.
▶ Watch at 1:14:17Read what they said
See none Representative. Chew for summation So that the, the second sub does not have any kind of a fiscal impact.
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
Says the second substitute has no fiscal impact.
▶ Watch at 1:14:20Read what they said
So that the, the second sub does not have any kind of a fiscal impact.
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
Explains that the Colorado River Authority was created earlier, that the bill moves it from the governor's office to the Department of Natural Resources, and that it continues negotiations amid low reservoirs.
▶ Watch at 1:14:38Read what they said
So, uh, those of you that were here, you know, a few years back, uh, speaker Wilson had the Colorado River Authority bill and, uh, it was established because of the fact that the Colorado River Compact was a hundred years old in 19, in 2022. And it, um, we've got a situation, we need to renew it, and there's not as much water as we would hoped there would be. And so, um, the Colorado River Authority was created and we're down the road that far. We can see that, uh, the fact we didn't get in a, a decision made on it, uh, this past Saturday that we, uh, have gotta continue on. We anticipated this was gonna …
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
Recounts that the Colorado River Authority was created in an earlier bill, says the compact must be renewed amid low water supply, and says the bill moves the authority from the governor's office to DNR while negotiations continue.
▶ Watch at 1:14:38Read what they said
So, uh, those of you that were here, you know, a few years back, uh, speaker Wilson had the Colorado River Authority bill and, uh, it was established because of the fact that the Colorado River Compact was a hundred years old in 19, in 2022. And it, um, we've got a situation, we need to renew it, and there's not as much water as we would hoped there would be. And so, um, the Colorado River Authority was created and we're down the road that far. We can see that, uh, the fact we didn't get in a, a decision made on it, uh, this past Saturday that we, uh, have gotta continue on. We anticipated this was gonna …
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
Gives summation, says the Colorado River situation is serious for Utah, and urges support for the bill.
▶ Watch at 1:18:26Read what they said
for summation. Thank You. I appreciate the, the attention that, uh, this is done. It's an important bill. It, the Colorado River's in a tough spot, and, uh, Utah's in a tough, tough spot because of it. And, uh, we need to continue on with this. So I would, uh, I really appreciate your support on this bill.
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
In summation, says the bill is important, that the Colorado River and Utah are in a difficult position, and asks for members' support.
▶ Watch at 1:18:26Read what they said
for summation. Thank You. I appreciate the, the attention that, uh, this is done. It's an important bill. It, the Colorado River's in a tough spot, and, uh, Utah's in a tough, tough spot because of it. And, uh, we need to continue on with this. So I would, uh, I really appreciate your support on this bill.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
Rep. Chew presents H.B. 431, which creates a wildlife and livestock safety fund within the transportation infrastructure fund for wildlife crossings, fencing, and related projects.
▶ Watch at 1:29:38Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker. You know, uh, I'm sure you remember, you and I have talked about this, uh, quite a little bit. But, um, HB 4 33 1 for substitute, uh, wildlife Crossing Amendments. The, the Wildlife Vehicle Collisions in the state of Utah cost $135 million annually, uh, to property loss and loss hunting revenue. This bill creates a fund within the Transportation Infrastructure Fund for Wildlife and Livestock Safety. Money is from sales and use tax, plus any donation. It, it suggests a a dollar donation with collar registrations or a percent of of money from hunting, uh, licenses. Uh, the Department of Transportation and other, uh, wildlife and other groups will decide, uh, where the, the, …
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House floor debate (day 30) · Feb 19, 2026
Rep. Chew closes by citing deer and elk collisions on Utah highways and urges support for the bill to keep highways safer and animals alive.
▶ Watch at 1:32:28Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, we have over 5,000 deer and 1000 elk killed annually on our, our highways. The emotional toll on a driver and the passenger, knowing they've, they've killed an animal without, uh, even the stress that they experience, uh, with a, uh, highway collision. You know, uh, not too many years ago, I was called out on Christmas Eve, and I'll tell you the, the stress that those folks that were in that car, uh, after hitting a, a cow elk and the Christmas packages laying on the, on the street, and every time a vehicle went wide, the, the kids, the eight and the 10-year-old kids that were in the highway, patrolman's car staying …
H.B. 251 Diligence Claims Water Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 18, 2026
Rep. Chew explained that HB 251 would recognize small, precipitation-fed stock ponds built on pre-1903 livestock grazing homesteads so their water rights are documented, and that the bill limits these ponds to less than 20 acre-feet.
▶ Watch at 36:36Read what they said
Thank you. I appreciate that. And, uh, you know, this has been an interesting, uh, what journey I guess on this. We've been working on it, uh, a couple of years probably. And I've had a lot of, uh, help from the state engineer and, and water lawyers and stuff. And all of you guys that have been here for a while, you all know, know, uh, water, uh, water builds. But this one's been a kind of a special interest to me because it deals with, uh, with diligent claims. And, and a lot of it has to do with our, our, uh, homesteads. I mean, a lot of the folks here don't know exactly how they might own …
H.B. 251 Diligence Claims Water Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 18, 2026
Rep. Chew said the bill adds a rebuttable presumption so that a party protesting a claim must prove it, and described how family journals and history support these claims.
▶ Watch at 44:33Read what they said
So, yeah, and what, what we've done, we've, uh, we've, uh, put a presumptive rebuttal in there so that if somebody has a, uh, uh, uh, a protest or a concern about it, they have to prove that, that it wasn't, rather than me, because like my grandpa, he had a fourth grade education. He didn't keep a journal. Grandma kept a little bit of one, and it was kind of interesting. But she said, you know, when her and grandpa got married, they had $8 left between the two of 'em, and they were glad so and so gave him a couple of hands in a rooster. And anyway, her little journal was pretty fun to read. But basically …
H.B. 251 Diligence Claims Water Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 18, 2026
Rep. Chew thanked the state agencies and state engineer for their help with the bill. · speaker not certain
▶ Watch at 46:48Read what they said
Absolutely. Yeah. So I wanna echo your gratitude to our state agencies or water engineer helped out with these use
H.B. 489 Water Infrastructure Amendments · House Public Utilities and Energy Committee · Feb 18, 2026
Asked whether locations for these basins have already been identified.
▶ Watch at 36:50Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, this is a curious thing and kind of a neat idea. I think they do some of this similar down there by, uh, Richfield and stuff to let, uh, to collect, uh, storm water that don't flood the town out that, uh, can be released. Uh, it's gonna be controlled a little bit. So if you've got some locations, uh, where these things need to be, or your detention, uh, uh, ponds, I guess we might call 'em. Uh, have you already got some locations or is this, uh, just, uh, saying we need to locate some
H.B. 326 Animal Depredation Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 13, 2026
Asked how many feral pigs have been introduced so far.
▶ Watch at 38:14Read what they said
Thanks. Uh, Mr. Chair, uh, this has al always been interested. A number of years ago we had another, uh, bill that was, uh, kind of similar. But anyway, what my, uh, question is, do we have any idea what kind of numbers there are that have been introduced so far? Or, um, is it a pretty small number so far? Uh,
H.B. 326 Animal Depredation Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 13, 2026
Asked the sponsor to explain the amendment's change to the definition of take and whether it still covers netting.
▶ Watch at 47:53Read what they said
Yes, I, I wanted to speak on the, uh, on the amendment and I would appreciate it if the, the good sponsor could explain, uh, uh, part of the definition we've changed it to says, I'm not sure how to, how to pronounce the word sane or sign. I'm not sure I know. Uh, fishing that means to net, are we still talking about netting them?
H.B. 326 Animal Depredation Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 13, 2026
Said the department's answer addressed his question.
▶ Watch at 48:49Read what they said
Did answer my question, I'm, I'm glad that we had the, the department here. I'm not sure the sponsor was, uh, gonna do that for me.
H.B. 37 Used Oil Management Act Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 12, 2026
Mentions an intern and asks that he be brought around to the front.
▶ Watch at 2:23:04Read what they said
We're gonna, Mr. Chairman, I have This. Okay. Can I have My intern? I have your intern. Bring him around outside if they would take care of that.
H.B. 37 Used Oil Management Act Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 12, 2026
Presents HB 37 and says the used oil fund, set up in 1993, is no longer sustainable, describes how the fee supports collection centers, public education, and local health departments, and mentions the possibility of a program for farm and ranch used oil.
▶ Watch at 2:23:26Read what they said
Time is yours. Well, I appreciate that, you know, uh, house Bill 37 used Oil amendments was, uh, one we talked about last, uh, uh, interim during the summer. And, uh, anyway, I'll just get right to the meat of it that the used oil program was started in 1993 and hasn't been adjusted the price wise on it. And, um, uh, you know, what it does is, is it, it helps with, uh, recycling oil and, and putting it, uh, um, in a proper place, keeping it out of environment. What is the handout I gave you, you know, pretty much explains what was, uh, kind of, uh, the idea to do with our oil when we, uh, were …
H.B. 37 Used Oil Management Act Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 12, 2026
Says Senator Stratton will serve as Senate sponsor and suggests Stratton or Ted explain the amendment, which concerns the Tax Commission's timing.
▶ Watch at 2:27:26Read what they said
Uh, the amendment is, uh, Senator Stratton and of course Senator Stratton was, uh, chairman of the committee last summer and, and informed me that it was my bill. I appreciate him, uh, volunteering to be the Senate sponsor. But, uh, uh, maybe, uh, uh, either him or, or, or, uh, the or Ted could, uh, explain what the amendment does. It's deals with, uh, the, uh, what we have to do to get the tax commission to increase. So if you wanna ex explain what that's about it probably Go
H.B. 37 Used Oil Management Act Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 12, 2026
Gives closing remarks, thanks the committee, and asks for its support of the bill.
▶ Watch at 2:31:07Read what they said
I appreciate the attention of the, of the committee and the, and, and glad that we had one. It makes sense and it's kind of fun to, to, uh, uh, pursue and, and would appreciate your, your support on this. It's something we need to take care of.
H.B. 63 Livestock Watering Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 12, 2026
Presents the bill allowing water to be moved within the same sub-basin for small ponds up to two acre-feet, without infringing on other water rights, to help disperse livestock on the range.
▶ Watch at 2:31:48Read what they said
Okay. So I'm gonna have the state engineer come up and help me if there's any questions I can answer. So, uh, house Bill 63 is, uh, livestock watering Amendments and, and I brought all my, I or I had my, my talking points and I seem to have not put 'em in my folder, but I can do it. This one's a pretty easy one. So, you know, uh, how important it is to, uh, to disperse our, our livestock when we're, uh, have 'em out on the range grazing. And, and one the important, uh, things we use to get 'em to disperse is, is water distribution. And that's basically what what we're doing with this, uh, with …
H.B. 63 Livestock Watering Amendments · Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 12, 2026
Thanks the committee and says the bill was developed through the Water Development Commission and water task force, and that it keeps water in the same sub-basin while helping disperse livestock.
▶ Watch at 2:35:20Read what they said
So, uh, I appreciate the motion and attention of the, the committee. I, uh, would like to mention that this is, uh, like I said, it's been a little while. We worked on it quite a bit. It's been through the Water Development Commission, through the water task force. Everybody's really interested and they think, Hey, this is a good, a good thing. Let's, uh, you know, it keeps the water in the same sub-basin, but it helps us disperse the livestock. Livestock. Let's, let's go out and do a good job of managing the range. Yeah, we really appreciate that. And, and our ranchers might just not know that you know this and that's better practice on every, everything …
H.B. 251 Diligence Claims Water Amendments · House floor debate (day 24) · Feb 12, 2026
Presents H.B. 251, which lets homestead water claims be based on diligence use before 1903 for lands surveyed only in the 1920s, with a rebuttal presumption in favor of the claimant.
▶ Watch at 36:04Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker. So, uh, HB 52, diligence, water claims amendments. Uh, I dunno how many of you know how your, uh, if you own your, uh, the land where your house, uh, sits on where you live at, how many of you know how that went from federal ownership into private? It had to be patented. And usually most of us, it was done by a, a homestead. And in order to be homesteaded, why, uh, you needed to have it located, located, meaning you needed to have it surveyed so you had a legal description of it, and, uh, you probably needed to have a dwelling that had water and, uh, uh, if it was a grazing …
H.B. 251 Diligence Claims Water Amendments · House floor debate (day 24) · Feb 12, 2026
Gives closing remarks on the bill, describes how small homestead ponds would be recognized as water rights, and asks for the House's support.
▶ Watch at 38:39Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So if you only catch precipitation, your pond is smaller than 20 acre feet. It was created as part of a homestead patent, or before you have it surveyed and described, it will be recognized as a water, right? So, uh, anyway, I'd appreciate your support on this. It's, uh, it, it, it's a helpful bill. Appreciate it.
H.B. 217 Stolen Vehicle Amendments · House floor debate (day 24) · Feb 12, 2026
Supports the bill, sharing a personal experience of having a vehicle stolen and recovered out of state.
▶ Watch at 1:15:04Read what they said
Well, I've never, uh, had a, uh, rental car stolen, but when you get your own vehicle stolen, uh, uh, I'd just sure hate to have to wait 10 days before I could report it stolen because, uh, it definitely could be clear outta the country. Thank goodness mine was found in Grand Junction, but I didn't have any use for the marijuana roach Crip clips that were in the, in the, uh, ashtray. So, uh, anyway, I think this is a good bill.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Presented H.B. 431, which creates a wildlife and livestock safety account in the Transportation Investment Fund, funded by sales tax plus optional donations with vehicle registration and hunting permits, for crossings, fencing, culverts and fish passages.
▶ Watch at 54:28Read what they said
Okay. I'm kind of, uh, happy to be back in, uh, be able to, uh, present in this committee. You guys are welcome. Uh, uh, appreciate the committee, uh, taking us on, uh, HB 4 31. Um, first substitute Wildlife Crossing Amendments. This is a, you know, this is the kind of a bill I like to do at, uh, um, when we pass something like this, we have the potential of seeing what we've done one of these days. I mean, you know, uh, if you look at the top of, uh, parleys Canyon, where we've got, uh, a, uh, world class, uh, wildlife crossing, crossing the interstate, uh, 80 up there, and, uh, you know, we don't have …
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Explained the amendment changes references from hunting licenses to permits and removes the cap on donation amounts.
▶ Watch at 57:32Read what they said
Uh, let me, let me pull it here. I'll, the amendment. What it does is, uh, uh, the Department of um, wildlife said that, uh, they like to call it, you know, I mean, we're technically getting a hunting permit rather than a hunting license, even that we refer to it as a license. And, uh, and we didn't wanna limit the contribution of a dollar, so any amount can, that's why, uh, it was, uh, not, you know, taken off. And those are the only two things it does. Just wherever we talked about a license with wildlife, we change it to permit. And, uh, and the way it's written, the way I understand that tells us that we …
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Said the bill earmarks $2 million from the transportation fund for wildlife crossings and livestock safety, plus any donations.
▶ Watch at 58:34Read what they said
We're gonna take, uh, $2 million that, that's, this is the way, uh, we've said that. But we're gonna take $2 million that are within the transportation fund and be able to airmark to, uh, the transportation infrastructure and a fund, an air market for, uh, wildlife crossings and, uh, livestock safety, uh, places. And also included will be, uh, any, uh, distri any, uh, donations.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Said UDOT staff present could better answer the funding question.
▶ Watch at 59:09Read what they said
That's that I got that. I've got some, there's some, uh, DOT people here that probably could answer that better than I can. Okay.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Explained the donation portion would be an optional checkbox on vehicle registration.
▶ Watch at 59:21Read what they said
Just No. The motor vehicle registration. Well, I don't know how the T's for sure funded, but Yeah. But that, uh, donation part of that would be just, uh, something that it, when you go down or when you get your go online or however you get your, uh, registration notification, you, there'll be a place you can check and, and then that'll be included on, on what you pay.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Said he could not say exactly but others present could answer.
▶ Watch at 1:04:33Read what they said
Well, um, I, I couldn't say, uh, exactly. We, we just got started, but, uh, we do have some folks here that could probably answer that.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Said several projects are being considered and asked Isobel Lingenfelter to help answer.
▶ Watch at 1:04:46Read what they said
We've got. We've got our eyes on, on, on a number of, but yeah, I'd like to, uh, to have, uh, Isabelle help me here.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Added that rural traffic has grown since COVID and future needs may change.
▶ Watch at 1:06:04Read what they said
to there, uh, representative, you know, uh, if you've been, uh, like out in rural Utah as much as I have just since what's happened as far as traffic since, uh, COVID and, and, uh, there's a lot of places where we've got, uh, more traffic currently than we did four or five years ago, and we don't know how that might change. So it, you know, it'll all play into what we're gonna try to, to do.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Said donations are part of it and the fund could combine with other programs to improve grazing management and safety for livestock and wildlife.
▶ Watch at 1:08:17Read what they said
That, that's part of it. Plus, uh, I foresee the opportunity that, uh, you know, we've got a lot of, uh, situations out there, um, just like in my area with the drought like it is. And, uh, the need to, uh, do a good job of managing the grazing and stuff on our, uh, rangeland for both the benefit of, uh, livestock and wildlife plus the safety. If, uh, we can combine these with some other programs such as, say, the Gipp program or some of them where we can, uh, help with safety, combine it with, with, uh, other monies to, uh, create, uh, grazing management opportunities, that those are just sort of a plus that could be, …
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Offered to respond to the comment now or later.
▶ Watch at 1:10:53Read what they said
So, Mr. Chair, can I, uh, can I respond to that or would you rather wait, tell, uh, later? I'm okay with later.
H.B. 431 Wildlife Crossing Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Summed up by stressing safety and wildlife benefits, explained why livestock areas are included, and invited the representative from Provo to propose a better funding method.
▶ Watch at 1:19:28Read what they said
So I appreciate the, the discussion we've had and, and the fact that, uh, I've had as much support as I have from the, the, the committee. I'd like to stress that this is, uh, probably as important, uh, uh, a safety feature. It is a, a saving on the lives of the wildlife. Of course, we could solve this whole problem. I just, if everybody only drove 55 miles an hour instead of the 80, 80 plus miles an hour that we see driven even on our 65 mile an hour roads. Uh, as far as, uh, you know, I think it's a, a great benefit, uh, to be able to include the opportunities where we have, uh, uh, …
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Presents HB 473, outlining its changes to the Colorado River Authority, including moving it to the Department of Natural Resources, board membership changes, and the effective date.
▶ Watch at 1:35:29Read what they said
Committee, um, chairman and committee. Um, we're talking about, uh, HB 4 73. And, uh, I'm gonna be speaking to the first sub on it. And as you know, uh, you know, in 1922, the, the Colorado, uh, river compact was created. It was intended to last a hundred years, or it did, I guess, uh, did have some, uh, adjustments made, you know, periodically through it, but not very much happened from, uh, 1940s through, uh, 2000 when we, 2005, maybe it was, or seven. I don't remember when, uh, the, uh, draft contingency was put in. Of course, you know, in the, in the span of that time to when, uh, lake Powell and Lake Mead were built …
H.B. 473 Colorado River Authority Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 11, 2026
Thanks the Colorado River Caucus, Dex Winterton, and the committee, and says continuing the Colorado River Authority is necessary.
▶ Watch at 1:53:06Read what they said
So I appreciate the, the at attend attention of the, of the committee. I appreciate the, the motion here and I, I wanna thank the, the Colorado River Caucus, uh, for, uh, you know, it took us, uh, a while as far as the caucus members to, uh, to, to go this direction. We were not in favor of it. We realize now there's reasons that it needed to go this way. And, uh, and, and I think we came up with, with a good deal that, you know, uh, as we, as we work on a lot of our, our builds that come through the natural resources and the, and the main drafter, we understand now why she has …
H.B. 99 Eyewear Sales Tax Amendments · House floor debate (day 22) · Feb 10, 2026
Said he agreed with the motion to circle and that the bill should be investigated further.
▶ Watch at 34:21Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Um, I, I have to agree with, uh, motion to circle. I know, uh, I've got a, I had a sister-in-law that had to have a pair of glasses for every dress she wore, and I feel like that's a little bit extreme and, and so, uh, I feel like that this is a good, uh, that we ought to maybe investigate this a little bit more. Thank you.
H.B. 41 Construction and Fire Codes Amendments · House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee · Feb 9, 2026
Asks who determines the risk categories and where the lines are drawn.
▶ Watch at 3:28:02Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, two quick questions. First one, and maybe you covered this and I just missed it, but who makes the determination of the different categories? Like where, where you draw the line?
H.B. 41 Construction and Fire Codes Amendments · House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee · Feb 9, 2026
Asks why the bill removed the existing Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands approval carve-out for changes to the code and asks why that was changed.
▶ Watch at 3:29:09Read what they said
Okay. My, my second question is, and you may have covered this in your first presentation, or maybe I just had this, maybe I even asked you this question before I, I can't remember. But when I read this bill the first time, the real question that I had was in the, in the current code, we allow for any changes to the, the International Code or the Utah Wild and Urban Interface Code, um, that are approved by the Utah Division of Forestry, fire and State Lands. We don't have that similar carve out in this new version of the bill. So I'm just wondering, it seemed like before maybe we had a little bit of a check on …
H.B. 41 Construction and Fire Codes Amendments · House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee · Feb 9, 2026
Asks where that provision appears in the bill. · speaker not certain
▶ Watch at 3:30:40Read what they said
So as is if, If I could follow up where, where is that in the bill? 'cause I, I don't, I don't see That it's in a, it's in a section that's not in this bill.
H.B. 348 Dedicated Water Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 5, 2026
Says a two-year dedication period seems reasonable and that longer periods could effectively turn farms back into desert.
▶ Watch at 1:46:39Read what they said
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.
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Chew says that during the previous day's presentation of the bill there was noise in the hall, that he was unsure he adequately answered colleagues' concerns, and that he appreciates the chance to address them.
▶ Watch at 30:56Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the, I appreciate the motion. You know, yesterday when I, I presented it, we had a lot of, uh, ruckus going on out in the hall. It was kind of hard to hear the questions and I wasn't sure I'd done an adequate job of answering the concerns of my, uh, colleagues on the floor. And I appreciate the opportunity to bring this back and, and address those uh, concerns.
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Chew says there has been too much confusion about the bill, that it needs more work, and that changes could make it more acceptable to people.
▶ Watch at 32:16Read what they said
Yes. I feel like we've had too much confusion on this bill and I think we need to work on it a little bit and, uh, we can make it so that people will, uh, appreciate it.
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks how the first offense would be handled under the substitute and whether the sponsor will yield.
▶ Watch at 50:01Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker. Uh, I'm a little confused on this. So, uh, we talk about that, uh, this'll be on the second, uh, uh, I mean removing it to the second offense. And, uh, what happens on the first offense? Representative Chew, do you have a question? Excuse me. Um, Mr. Speaker Trem Will is sponsor yield Sponsor of the substitute or of the bill? The sponsor of the substitute. That's what we're speaking to here. I just speaking to the motion is all and then I'll have to speak to the substitute afterwards. Is that how it works? I can't remember. I've only been here a long time.
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks what happens to a first offense under the substitute.
▶ Watch at 50:01Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker. Uh, I'm a little confused on this. So, uh, we talk about that, uh, this'll be on the second, uh, uh, I mean removing it to the second offense. And, uh, what happens on the first offense?
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks whether that is how the procedure works.
▶ Watch at 50:33Read what they said
Is that how it works? I can't remember. I've only been here a long time.
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks whether he is speaking to the motion or the substitute.
▶ Watch at 50:43Read what they said
So if I understand your No, I'm a little bit, uh, confused in Mr. Speaker part. I'm, we're we, we should be to the voting part of it, then we speak to it or do I speak to it in case it makes a difference on how we vote?
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks whether he should speak to the motion or the substitute and says he wants to speak to the substitute.
▶ Watch at 50:43Read what they said
So if I understand your No, I'm a little bit, uh, confused in Mr. Speaker part. I'm, we're we, we should be to the voting part of it, then we speak to it or do I speak to it in case it makes a difference on how we vote? You're speaking to the second substitute. Okay. On the second sub, my question is To the motion to substitute. Is that your intent? I'm good with the motion to Sub the motion force. Should we adopt the second substitute? Um, I wanna speak to the sub, not the motion. Thank you. Okay,
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Says he wants to speak to the substitute rather than the motion.
▶ Watch at 50:59Read what they said
Okay. On the second sub, my question is To the motion to substitute. Is that your intent? I'm good with the motion to Sub the motion force. Should we adopt the second substitute? Um, I wanna speak to the sub, not the motion. Thank you. Okay,
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks Moss about the compensatory service provision in the original bill and requests to yield for questions.
▶ Watch at 53:02Read what they said
So, uh, on your original, uh, uh, delivery, excuse me. Um, uh, with the sponsor yield. With
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks whether compensatory service applied only to second offenses under the original bill.
▶ Watch at 53:14Read what they said
We have to yield. So on your original delivery, you talked about the, uh, uh, your, the, the compensatory service only is, uh, on second offenses. Have I understood that correctly or, or more?
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks whether compensatory service applied to first offenses under the original bill and asks a series of questions.
▶ Watch at 53:14Read what they said
We have to yield. So on your original delivery, you talked about the, uh, uh, your, the, the compensatory service only is, uh, on second offenses. Have I understood that correctly or, or more? Uh, the first offense is not gonna be a compensatory service. That's what the original bill did. It, it didn't take the first one. They, they had to pay the fine. Uh, um, But the Following offenses, the, would the sponsor yield to, uh, a few more questions. A series of questions.
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks for a series of follow-up questions.
▶ Watch at 53:45Read what they said
Uh, um, But the Following offenses, the, would the sponsor yield to, uh, a few more questions. A series of questions.
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks whether compensatory service currently applies to first offenses.
▶ Watch at 53:55Read what they said
Chu. Thank you. Uh, so the way, the way it is now, a first offense, uh, deals with compensatory service. Is that not correct?
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks whether a first offense involves compensatory service.
▶ Watch at 53:55Read what they said
Chu. Thank you. Uh, so the way, the way it is now, a first offense, uh, deals with compensatory service. Is that not correct?
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks who decides compensatory service assignments and what forms of service are allowed.
▶ Watch at 54:57Read what they said
So, so I understand that that's, uh, what we're, do what the proposal is here. Now, what my question was, is that uh, com compensatory services? What it is currently? Yes. And who decides that that is to go obstruct a crossing guard? Is that the way the commissary service was supposed to be? Or could it be something like cleaning out the restrooms or something like that at a school? That's what I'm wondering. Is it specific to the, a person has to go help a crossing guard?
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Asks what compensatory service currently involves and who decides it.
▶ Watch at 54:57Read what they said
So, so I understand that that's, uh, what we're, do what the proposal is here. Now, what my question was, is that uh, com compensatory services? What it is currently? Yes. And who decides that that is to go obstruct a crossing guard? Is that the way the commissary service was supposed to be? Or could it be something like cleaning out the restrooms or something like that at a school? That's what I'm wondering. Is it specific to the, a person has to go help a crossing guard?
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Thanks the sponsor for the explanation and says he will support the second substitute.
▶ Watch at 56:08Read what they said
Okay. I I appreciate that explanation. If you remember here a few years back when things got adjusted a little bit, I suggested that people at speed in a school zone ought to be put in stocks and we found out that that's not legal to do so. So, uh, I appreciate what's going on here and I I would support, uh, the second sub.
H.B. 178 School Zone Speeding Amendments · House floor debate (day 16) · Feb 4, 2026
Says the explanation helped and that he supports the second substitute.
▶ Watch at 56:08Read what they said
Okay. I I appreciate that explanation. If you remember here a few years back when things got adjusted a little bit, I suggested that people at speed in a school zone ought to be put in stocks and we found out that that's not legal to do so. So, uh, I appreciate what's going on here and I I would support, uh, the second sub.
H.B. 378 Fugitive Dust Mitigation Amendments · House Public Utilities and Energy Committee · Feb 3, 2026
Asked about a gravel pit whose dust monitor reported noncompliance on a day it was not operating, and whether the bill addresses such situations.
▶ Watch at 16:44Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I have a question. Um, I have a, I have a gravel pit that is on the east side of the community. Nobody is on the east side of him. And, uh, the pre prevailing wind blows from west to east. And, uh, he has a dust monitor scattered around his, uh, crushing yard. And on the west side of him, he has agriculture. And he, one incident he had an issue with the monitors, said that he had too much dust on the day that, uh, that he was not working. Everybody was, uh, it was, it was, it was a weekend. Nobody was working. But the farmer to the west of him was, …
H.B. 37 Used Oil Management Act Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Rep. Chew said the bill addresses used oil recycling funding, which relies on a fee that is being raised to 4 cents per quart and 16 cents per gallon, and that without it, recycling incentives and grants would be reduced.
▶ Watch at 22:32Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker. You know, this bill came about because we didn't want, uh, anybody like our good representative from Hooper to be, uh, changing the oil on his, uh, tractor and doing what was suggested back in 1958 by popular mechanics. So, uh, which was just basically dump it on the ground, not a very environmental friendly, uh, situation. So in 1993, the legislature created the used oil program. It, uh, has a fee that's on all the oil. We buy the fee funds, the division and board costs for implementation. It provides recycling incentive payments to collection centers of 25 cents per gallon. The revenue promotes public education on used oil recycling. It provides grants to collection …
H.B. 37 Used Oil Management Act Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Rep. Chew gave his closing remarks, saying the program needs to continue and asking for a yes vote.
▶ Watch at 25:02Read what they said
Oh, uh, I think I had plenty to say. And, uh, appreciate your vote on this. It's something we need to continue. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.
H.B. 63 Livestock Watering Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Presents the bill, saying it lets water be moved within a sub-basin for better livestock placement and grazing management, and that eligibility requires a water right and either private land or a grazing permit. Offers to answer questions.
▶ Watch at 38:35Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker. This bill, uh, you guys, we've needed this to come about. Uh, livestock Watering Amendments, uh, was heard in, uh, uh, legislative Water Development Commission, the Water Task Force, and, uh, it helps with the management of livestock Grazing wipe by allowing us to move water around a sub basin for more beneficial livestock placement. A person must have a water, right? You can't impact another person's water, right? But must have private land or a grazing permit to take advantage of this opportunity. And, uh, it, it's all within the same, uh, sub-basin. So with that, uh, if there's any questions, I'll see if I can answer 'em.
H.B. 63 Livestock Watering Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Gives closing summation that the bill helps manage land and grazing and asks for support.
▶ Watch at 39:28Read what they said
Uh, it's a good, it's a good bill. Helps us, uh, manage our land a little bit better with the crazing. So, uh, please, please help support me on it.
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Presents HB 120, saying a constituent reported nearly rear-ending a vehicle with bicycles blocking its tail lights, and the bill would require reflector tape or lights on cargo that hides taillights.
▶ Watch at 1:00:58Read what they said
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This, uh, concern was brought to me by, uh, one of my, uh, constituents at home. He said he was driving down the road in the early evening and almost ran into the back of a vehicle that had some bicycles on the back of it. The tail lights were obstructed. Um, what it does is it just says if you, and, and as you know, if you notice ever since, um, COVID, a lot of folks wanna get out bicycles, both, uh, electric and regular and motorcycles are, are really, uh, popular. And they're, a lot of 'em are mounted on the back of vehicles. And quite frequently they do, uh, do obstruct …
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Says he has never been behind a bus when that situation occurred.
▶ Watch at 1:03:07Read what they said
Well, actually, I've never been on the ba behind the bus when something like that happened.
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Asks Rep. Hansen to restate the question.
▶ Watch at 1:03:43Read what they said
So, uh, would, uh, would the good, uh, representative, please mind, uh, restating that question? I didn't quite hear it.
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Says a peace officer would likely use discretion between a warning and a fine, and a court would decide if the matter is contested.
▶ Watch at 1:04:00Read what they said
So I would, uh, uh, I think the first offense that you're guilty if you're guilty, but I think that a, uh, uh, a peace officer would probably use his own discretion on whether to give a warning or, uh, if it would be a, uh, you know, a fineable offense. Uh, and maybe it would have to be determined in a court of law if you go to, uh, court with it.
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Agrees to yield to the question.
▶ Watch at 1:04:35Read what they said
Coming from that side of the room? I'm a little bit hesitant, but yes, I will.
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Says he did not intend the bill to apply when only one light is obstructed, and notes only one brake light is required.
▶ Watch at 1:05:32Read what they said
Well, I did, I didn't intend for it to be if, uh, only one light was obstructed. But if we're, but as you know, uh, we have two lights on the back for our vehicles for a reason. One is, uh, so we can see which, uh, which way we're gonna be turning. But, um, I, if I remember correctly, we only required to have one brake light. So if one was, uh, was visible while we're probably, uh, would be okay there and would have a good argument if you happen to get cited for, uh, an infraction.
H.B. 128 Traffic Amendments · House floor debate (day 15) · Feb 3, 2026
Chew opposes the bill, saying signaling is needed so drivers are not misled, citing a trailer and a semi-truck example, and says the bill is not necessary.
▶ Watch at 1:16:36Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, this bill is exactly the kind of bill we have discussed in both our caucuses. We want to reduce the number of builds. I appreciate the good sponsor's time, but this bill does not solve anything. In fact, it may create hazardous situations. Any kind of a vehicle turning situation signaling should be an automatic muscle memory without the turn signal situations, hazardous situation may arrive. Roundabout roundabouts are efficient ways to enter and exit intersections, but a signal is needed. Imagine a vehicle pulling a trailer, especially a semi tractor trailer being followed by maybe an inexperienced driver. The vehicle pulling a trailer wants to turn right. He has to be a slightly …
H.B. 369 Agriculture and Food Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Reserved the right to make a motion and asked why the bill removes tattoos and brisket marks from brand language, citing the ranch use of brisket cutting.
▶ Watch at 35:09Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to, uh, reserve the right to make a motion Or not to action Yet. Action yet. Okay. I, I've got a, I've got a question then. Uh, so, uh, um, to the sponsor, uh, or, or maybe to, uh, Amber. So, um, in line, uh, 2 95, we, we, uh, ha have in our current statute that, uh, that brands are including a, a tattoo or a cutting and shaping of the ears or brisket. And we've proposing to change it so we're not, uh, talking about a tattoo or, uh, uh, what, what we on the range refer to as waddled. And, uh, I have some concern about that. Why, why is that …
H.B. 369 Agriculture and Food Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Asked about tattoos used in the brand program and whether removing them is separate from the brand change.
▶ Watch at 36:24Read what they said
So, uh, what about the tattoos? 'cause you know, we currently, uh, is, is required that we have tattoos on our, uh, in our bangs, uh, uh, program. Bruce Osis. Well, why are we, uh, talking about, uh, removing tattoos also, Uh, Mr. Chair, I, I'm not sure if that's a different, is that separate from the brand? And there might be somebody here that could speak to that better than me, but I,
H.B. 369 Agriculture and Food Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Said ranch families use brisket cuttings to identify cattle and that he would oppose removing that option.
▶ Watch at 37:38Read what they said
It's okay. I, um, I, if, if I might continue, uh, Mr. So I appreciate that. I was, I was anticipating that was possibly what it was. I have some families in my area that some of the, what the kids of grandpa, rather than than registering a, a different brand than what the family's using, they were contemplating using, uh, uh, a brisket, uh, cutting as an, uh, probably an addition to the brand that they have. It would, instead of having to, to, uh, on their, their, uh, herd of cattle, instead of having to have multiple hot Iron brands on their cows. In fact, it's a family owned, uh, ranch and, and permits Why? That's how that, …
H.B. 369 Agriculture and Food Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Said waddles help identify cattle in cold weather with longer hair and that he sees a use for tattoos as brands, though he has not heard concerns about tattoos.
▶ Watch at 39:34Read what they said
Okay. So, uh, okay. Uh, I, I understand, you know, that, that, uh, if we're talking about a tattoo that's, uh, 'cause you know, a waddle and our, our hot Iron brands, a lot of times, you know, this time of the year when we normally have cold weather, we have a longer hair on our cows, and they're harder to see in this much. The waddle expedites the opportunity to identify critters. Yeah. And so, uh, I see, uh, I still see a, a, a use. It's a little different than, than guys did years ago when they were, uh, you know, uh, but I, I still see a use for it tattoos as far as being a, a …
H.B. 369 Agriculture and Food Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Said he wants to adopt his prepared amendment and then make a verbal change to keep the brisket shaping language, and asked staff how to proceed.
▶ Watch at 42:28Read what they said
Uh, yes, Mr. Chairman, I, I'd like to reserve the right to make a motion. Okay. That's in order. Um, you know, we had a, we had a, uh, a discussion, uh, uh, largely around, uh, uh, a concern that a, a family of mine in my area brought up. And, uh, I, I have an amendment, uh, prepared, but I'd kinda like to amend my amendment a little bit as, uh, and I would, I would like to, to instead of, uh, eliminating the part about, uh, shaping the brisket, uh, I'd like to put that back in. But I definitely, uh, fill it. Uh, having a tat a tattoo as a brand probably, uh, is, uh, not something …
H.B. 369 Agriculture and Food Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Moved to adopt Amendment #1.
▶ Watch at 44:01Read what they said
That would, is that What you Wanna do? That that'll, if that works for what I'd like to do with the honor, it sounds like it will. Well, let's go that route. So I'd like to move that we adopt amendment one in my name.
H.B. 369 Agriculture and Food Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Proposed a verbal amendment to remove the tattoo reference while keeping the shaping of ears or brisket area.
▶ Watch at 44:31Read what they said
So I would like to make an adjustment on the amendment. Is that, uh, would that probably be a proper way to, to proceed A verbal amendment? A verbal amendment? I'd like to do a verbal amendment and, and eliminate the tap two part of my amendment and just say, uh, the shaping of the ears or brisket area.
H.B. 369 Agriculture and Food Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Made the motion to strike tattoo from the line on ears or brisket area and confirmed that was his verbal amendment.
▶ Watch at 45:03Read what they said
So now I'd like to, uh, make an a motion. Is that in order? If I, if I Could continue, I was gonna place the motion of what? Oh, we need to place that motion. You're right. Yeah. Okay. Excuse me, Mr. Chair. So the motion is to strike tattoo, right? That we strike tattoo in line 2 96, including cutting or shaping of ears or brisket area. Is that correct? Tattoo or So a strike tattoo, or does that take care of your Amendment? Yes. That, that, that's what I, that's my verbal amendment. Yes.
H.B. 369 Agriculture and Food Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Moved to pass H.B. 369 out favorably as amended and verbally amended.
▶ Watch at 46:09Read what they said
So, um, I'd like to make a motion that we pass out favorably, um, HB 360 9 as amended and verbally amended, or I just as committee amended. How do I say that part? That's good. Okay.
H.B. 369 Agriculture and Food Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Said the bill is a good bill and shorter than past versions.
▶ Watch at 46:25Read what they said
With a favorable motion. I think that's a, a good bill. And it is definitely shorter than some in the past have been.
H.B. 376 Land Management Funding Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Asked about the difference between the Watershed Restoration Initiative and the Utah Forest Restoration Institute and whether they work together.
▶ Watch at 55:58Read what they said
So, um, thank you Mr. Cha, and I appreciate it, and I think I understand everything, but I'm a little bit confused. What is the, the difference between Watershed Restoration Initiative and the Utah Forest Restoration Initiative? What, uh, I mean, are they something that goes hand in glove? Uh, anyway, uh, I, I, I, I know, uh, anyway 'cause I get a little bit more of an explanation of the, the difference between the, the two initiatives. Does this chair, the spon the question of the sponsor? Or are you asking Whoever can answer? Can you answer that?
H.B. 376 Land Management Funding Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Said the explanation clarified the difference between the two initiatives and that he supports the motion.
▶ Watch at 57:48Read what they said
So I, I appreciate that explanation. I, I guess I could probably claim that I'm, uh, probably guilty of, you know, when we, uh, text something or we write something out and our spell check corrects it. I think I read, uh, instead of institute I read initiative. And so, uh, but that, that, that definitely is, is a clarification. And I appreciate, uh, that, and I think this is a, uh, a good motion.
H.B. 349 Statewide Water Storage · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Chew said planning ahead for storage makes sense even during drought, responding to criticism about building storage without water.
▶ Watch at 1:01:52Read what they said
Yes. Thank you, Mr. No, just, just to comment, you know, I, I've heard, uh, you know, since we've been in, in the drought, we've had, uh, we get a lot of criticism whether we've done enough or we haven't done enough. Uh, as far as, and as far as storage, I've heard some criticism about, uh, uh, we're out of water. It doesn't, it's, and it, uh, likened it to, like, why do we go around, uh, open a new bank accounts when we don't have any money to put in it? And I, uh, kinda like to, uh, what, uh, answer back well, uh, as I wasn't there, but I understand that it wasn't raining when Noah built …
H.B. 251 Diligence Claims Water Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Presents H.B. 251 on diligence claims for pre-1903 livestock ponds on homesteads, describes the substitute's changes, and explains the case for the bill.
▶ Watch at 1:10:13Read what they said
Appreciate that, Mr. Chair. Uh, I'm gonna have my intern help, uh, here with this presentation. So, uh, give us just a second. We will get started here. It keeps coming unhooked. Okay. So, uh, how many of you know, or even know, or have even thought about how the land you live on was brought to Patton and by patent? In other words, it went from the federal government to private ownership. Uh, I don't know how many of you have, uh, been out and about hiking or, uh, out in the countryside and, and seen something, uh, what we call a quarter, a quarter corner, which a lot of us, uh, call a brass cap. And, uh, you …
H.B. 251 Diligence Claims Water Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Answers that family use is not required, that pre-1903 use can be shown by records and photographs, and describes the rebuttable presumption and its effect.
▶ Watch at 1:19:49Read what they said
Right. And, uh, of course it's probably easier for families to, to prove that. 'cause they probably got a record of some sort that shows that they were, and that's part of how diligence is, is, uh, is proven, is is through, uh, that type of, but yeah, it's, uh, would definitely be easier, I'm sure, for families, but not necessarily if you can show that. Uh, it was, but we've mostly kind of, uh, probably curtailed this for, uh, operations that have been in existence for quite a while. Yeah. Uh, and reading through the bill, uh, earlier, you know, photographs, other, other pieces that you could look at and say, there was this livestock watering pond there, and …
H.B. 251 Diligence Claims Water Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Thanks the committee for its attention to the bill and urges members to vote for it.
▶ Watch at 1:29:07Read what they said
So I, I appreciate it and I appreciate the opportunity to bring it forward and, and to show some of the things about history and, and, and it, it, what we've, as we've worked on it, it it's been pretty fascinating to me how, uh, little uh, some of our, uh, colleagues here on the hill and even the population out there understands about how our state was, uh, was settled and, uh, what it required in order to do things like have a homestead and stuff. And so, and I appreciate, uh, the attention, uh, everybody's given to this bill. And, and I, I would encourage you to vote for it. Thank you.
S.B. 43 Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Says he has learned more about the trust beneficiaries through the process and considers the bill a good step forward.
▶ Watch at 1:58:00Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was, uh, uh, interested in making a comment and, and asking the, uh, making a comment about what the, the Senator Vickers, um, said. I, I intended to ask if he felt like he'd learned anything, but I think he kind of, uh, alluded to the fact that he had, since this started, learns a few things. And I appreciate that. I I was gonna mention that, uh, uh, it's been fascinating me 'cause I've kind of kept tabs on what you guys have been doing and, uh, I've learned a lot more about, uh, other beneficiaries besides the school. Uh, everything. Um, you know, I've, uh, been on a community, uh, committee and, and …
S.B. 43 Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Feb 2, 2026
Disagrees with the characterization that early trust land management squandered assets, explaining the historical purpose of the trust lands.
▶ Watch at 2:05:26Read what they said
to the motion Representative Chew. So, um, I appreciate those comments, but I, I, I, I, uh, I don't hesitate, but I wanna, uh, not totally agree with you on, on a comment you just barely made. Uh, you said that you think that for the first while we squandered, um, I, I think that's a little strong. We were under a different, a different purpose of our, of our trust lands. And and I think many people don't really understand that. I know you do. And I know, uh, that part of our purpose, of our trust lands was another opportunity to, to get hands into private over ownership, because many of our, our settlers that came here did …
H.B. 211 Real Property Recording Amendments · House floor debate (day 10) · Jan 29, 2026
Explains that a 1988 statute requires land transfers to be notarized before recording, that state land patents were found not to have been notarized, and that the bill exempts documents bearing the Great Seal of Utah from the notary requirement.
▶ Watch at 41:15Read what they said
Thank you. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Hey, can you guys hear me? Is this on? It's working. Okay. Um, in 1988, the stat a statute was created that said that land transfers needed to be notarized in order to be recorded. My recorder, ENA County's recorder, discovered that land pat last, last year, my recorder from Ena County discovered that land patents issued by state agencies have not been notarized. So since 1988, uh, uh, land transfers and um, uh, land, uh, patents have not been notarized and it's hard to determine how they should be notarized being their, uh, official, uh, signature is the great seal of the state of Utah. So what we did was just say that …
H.B. 211 Real Property Recording Amendments · House Political Subdivisions Committee · Jan 26, 2026
Introduces House Bill 211 and explains that a county recorder raised a notary requirement issue affecting state land patents.
▶ Watch at 1:04:18Read what they said
Good afternoon. Thank you. Committee Chairman Millard. Chairman Dunnigan, I have to say, you know, I, I usually don't, uh, wind up on in this committee, so I guess it's probably the difference in the bills I usually carry. But, uh, I do remember once being here and Chairman Dunnigan was the one, uh, conducting the meeting and I had some high school kids helping me present. And we were talking about, uh, you know, we're, we're looking at going from, uh, print to digital on, on classified ads is what we were talking about. And, uh, Representative Dunnigan asked the high school kid that was helping me, he said, so, uh, uh, who, who do you, what do you …
H.B. 211 Real Property Recording Amendments · House Political Subdivisions Committee · Jan 26, 2026
Says the bill corrects a code discrepancy and explains his reasons for supporting it.
▶ Watch at 1:11:30Read what they said
Thank you. Yes, I, I appreciate that. Uh, a you know, this is part of what we're, we're supposed to do up here. If we find some discrepancy in our, in our code, we need to see if we can't straighten it out. And, and I, I felt, uh, double obligated to do this. I've, uh, I've known our recorder quite a while. Her husband is a, a guy I knew when we were kids growing up, and he's a rascal and she handles him pretty well, so I wanted to take care of it for her.
H.B. 211 Real Property Recording Amendments · House Political Subdivisions Committee · Jan 26, 2026
Agrees with Representative Ward that it is a good bill.
▶ Watch at 1:12:39Read what they said
I would have to agree with, uh, Representative Ward. Thank you. It's a good bill.
H.B. 63 Livestock Watering Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Presents HB 63, which would make it easier to move livestock water between points on the same operation, including a small pond of two acre-feet or less, and describes the amendment.
▶ Watch at 35:31Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, and committee. This, uh, this bill's interesting. We've, uh, started it probably three years ago, maybe two years for sure. And, uh, tried to, uh, work in two or three different things to get so we could do 'em all at once. It didn't quite fit, so we decided we'd just get this one out, get it taken care of. This one, it's, uh, and I'm gonna be talking, uh, we've got an amendment, uh, to it. I'll be needing to, uh, uh, when we get to that portion, we'll need to, uh, add it to the, to the system. Let's do that at the end of your presentation. That's what I figured, but I …
H.B. 63 Livestock Watering Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Answers a question that the bill can include flowing water diverted between points and does not apply where it would interfere with another person's water right.
▶ Watch at 40:04Read what they said
No, this, uh, Could include a stream. It, This can con, can con can include live water that, that gets diverted from one point to another. But, uh, in the, the cases that we've worked with most, it's the same, uh, person that owns the water rights in both, both areas. If it, uh, what we, the way we've designed it, if it interferes with somebody else's water right in any way, then, uh, then they, this, this will not apply.
H.B. 63 Livestock Watering Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Thanks the committee for its support and comments on a discussion he had with a colleague about the bill.
▶ Watch at 44:09Read what they said
I appreciate that and I'd appreciate the, the support of the committee. But I must have to say, I kind of thought I would have a, a, a, a response of some sort from the good representative from Millcreek. 'cause he, him and I have had a few discussions and he knows now you don't drink downstream from the herd. Oh, dear. Do that before He told me.
H.B. 37 Used Oil Management Act Amendments · House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Presented HB 37, saying it was referred from an interim committee and would allow used oil collection similar to pesticide and prescription drug pickups, and that the recycling fee has not changed since 1973.
▶ Watch at 45:31Read what they said
Okay. Well, I appreciate it. You. This this bill, um, got handed to me from the, uh, interim Natural Resources intern committee. And, um, it, I imagine the reason that they were asking me to, to bring it forward is, uh, a couple years ago I started, I asked some questions about, uh, I know there's a lot of, uh, agricultural producers that have barrels of oil when they've changed their tractor, uh, oil. They've got barrels of oil. And I a ask if there, there was an opportunity for something like how the Department of Agriculture goes around and, uh, usually once a year, sometimes they do it twice, but mostly it's once a year to pick up, um, …
H.B. 136 Unlicensed Driver Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Asked for examples of when fingerprinting a driver would create a safety concern for the driver or officer.
▶ Watch at 1:25:20Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I have two questions. Could you tell me, kind of draw a picture, fingerprinting the driver would create a safety concern for the driver or law enforcement? What would be examples?
H.B. 136 Unlicensed Driver Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Read the bill's exemption allowing officers to skip fingerprinting when it would create a safety concern.
▶ Watch at 1:26:59Read what they said
Okay. So this is an exemption from the fingerprinting. If it would be a risk, that's what it, at least that's the way I'm reading it. If law enforcement makes a reasonable determination that fingerprinting the driver would create a safety concern for the driver or for law enforcement, Then they exempt from
H.B. 136 Unlicensed Driver Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Asked about the fingerprint database named in the bill.
▶ Watch at 1:28:18Read what they said
I was just curious to know what kinds of situations those would be. Okay. And then the other question is, you said, is it APIs? API S, is
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Presented HB 120, which requires added lights or reflectors when cargo carriers or bikes block taillights, and described a constituent's near-collision and the photos shown.
▶ Watch at 2:01:48Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, I've got my intern here and we've got a, a couple of pictures we'd like to show. Is it okay if we hook up and, and have it be a part of our presentation? Sure. Okay. So, uh, I, I've gotta tell you that you guys, I think this is the first time I've been, uh, up here in, in front of the transportation committee, and it's a little different. But I gotta tell you, I just barely finished over in natural resources with a bill called Livestock Watering Amendments. And right at the tail end of it, I thought we were gonna find out from our good, uh, friend and colleague, uh, from a …
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Said the bill began with bicycles, later included cargo carriers, and addresses only lights rather than license plates.
▶ Watch at 2:07:49Read what they said
We started out with just bicycles, uh, a representative. And, uh, that was what the initial concern was. As we got into it, we realized that these, uh, cargo carriers that are on the back also, uh, quite frequently block the taillights. And so we included them in there too. But yeah, we started out with by six, that was the initial concern. Uh, but it's all vehicles then? Yes. And it's, it's the lights or the license plate as well, or is it just the lights? We are only addressing the lights right here, so yeah, if it, okay. And if I, I couldn't say, that's an interesting question. You know, if that's something that we needed to include, …
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Responded that the reflector distance matches existing requirements for semi trailers.
▶ Watch at 2:08:49Read what they said
Well, you know, just that could be, that could be, that's a different, uh, conversation you and I have had, uh, numerous times. Uh, We, we, we'll, we can test it out. All right then.
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Said reflective tape on animal collars could be an option.
▶ Watch at 2:09:10Read what they said
Okay. You know, that has been suggested, especially if we're on open range. But, uh, you know, with, uh, with virtual fencing and stuff, I think we're gonna have some few more options, but we probably have those collars that'll be, uh, uh, uh, reflective tape.
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Showed photos of vehicles whose taillights were obstructed by cargo and bike racks.
▶ Watch at 2:09:35Read what they said
That'd be all right. Oh, you got it. Oh, there it is. Okay. Yeah, So, so this is one of the, the pictures that we're taking that just kind of explained this, this slide. Uh, I, I believe my cons, uh, constituent that brought this forward to me, uh, didn't realize this vehicle was slowing down until he got right next to it. And you can see that the lights are pretty well hidden. Uh, go to the next one. Um, yeah, let's do that one. That, that one on the back of the Jeep just shows what, uh, mostly we had it just to explain what we're, uh, uh, talking about. But, uh, go to the next one. To …
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Said some carriers already have lights or reflectors and that trailers commonly use reflective tape.
▶ Watch at 2:10:53Read what they said
Let, let, let's go back to, yeah, I'm, I haven't, uh, you know, we haven't initiated or we haven't said anything about how much is, is needed or any of that, and some of, of these, uh, this one here, yeah. Uh, And we could put that Back up. Some of these have lights. Some of these have lights on each side, the little red on each side. Right. Some of them have lights on them already. They're build up. They're, they're being a lot more, uh, what I guess, uh, road friendly, I would probably call it. Yeah. And, but yeah, that one has some, and, and we, we discussed a little bit, but we haven't got to the …
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Agreed reflectors are the minimum requirement and that lights would be better.
▶ Watch at 2:11:54Read what they said
Yeah. Well, that's good to know. I'm, I'm glad you checked on that. Thanks. Yeah. So It's basically, it's, it's the same idea. Like if you've got something that's gonna make your brake lights obscured, you gotta have at least reflectors and lights would be better, but at least reflectors, Reflector.
H.B. 120 Tail Light Obstruction Amendments · House Transportation Committee · Jan 23, 2026
Gave closing remarks, including a joke about horses needing taillights.
▶ Watch at 2:15:35Read what they said
Well, I appreciate the, the time of the committee here and stuff, but I gotta tell you, uh, I had, uh, one person, uh, uh, kid me a little bit about, uh, shouldn't your horse have a tail on or have a light on? I said, I think that's why they call 'em taillights, isn't it? So,
H.B. 47 Vehicle Registration and Insurance Amendments · House floor debate (day 2) · Jan 21, 2026
Thanks the sponsor and says constituents were upset by registration notices and that the bill will address their concerns.
▶ Watch at 20:05Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, uh, wanna, appreci, I wanna appre, I wanna extend my appreciation to the sponsor of this bill. Plus I wanted to see if my new mic would work. It, uh, seems a little different than what we have been dealing with anyway. I appreciate it. There's a lot of constituency in my part of the world that are extremely, uh, shook up when they got the notice that they had been dropped and, uh, the registration was no good. And so I appreciate him bringing this forward. It's something that'll solve a problem that, uh, my, uh, my folks out in the basin have, uh, felt the, felt the screws put to 'em and they …
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