Utah 2020 Legislature Midterm Recap
We’ve passed the half-way point in Utah’s 45-day 2020 Legislative session that began on January 27.
It’s time to update CSU supporters on the bills, Concurrent Joint Resolutions and Joint Resolutions that deal with water, air, land and climate and that CSU believes are most significant.
This year’s session has seen fewer overall bills and none that deal specifically with funding the proposed Lake Powell Pipeline – whew! That said, there are quite a few water bills and some show we may be moving in a positive direction. But water bills aren’t our only concern. Bills dealing with air quality are much needed, too, and we see some of those. One of special note here is HCR11 which addresses air quality and climate (see below). We are pleased there are several bills dealing with emissions, electric vehicles and renewable energy. Only a few bills relating to public lands come up on our radar. All things considered, this too is probably good news.
More information may be obtained on the bills by clicking on the bill number leading you to the bill with full bill text, bill status and hearings/debates. Links to legislation sponsors are provided, too for contacting and expressing opinions. Click here to see all bills passed. Curious about the whole process? Click here.
Please pay particular attention to bills in red boxes. We believe these are the most important legislation currently before our legislature.
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HCR11 – Support of the Utah Roadmap for Positive Solutions and Leadership on Climate and Air Quality (Rep. Briscoe): “supports evaluating the recommendations made within the Utah Roadmap as guiding principles for leadership in seeking and encouraging solutions to improve air quality and reduce emissions.” The Roadmap, developed by the University of Utah’s Gardner Institute, lays out recommendations to address air quality and climate. This is probably the most important piece of legislation this year even though at this point it is just a resolution. It is being cited as a model for bipartisan progress on climate change in red states.
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HB40 – Water Loss Accountability (Rep. Ballard): Would enact the Water Loss Accounting Act requiring water loss accounting reports. Lost water is water that results in lost revenue.
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HB41 – State Water Policy (Rep. Stratton): Outlines the water policies of the state. CSU has tracked development of the State Water Policy and has been involved through the governor’s Water Strategy Group. The water policy is better now than the first draft, but we need to see if CSU’s input stays in the bill including this from Line 90: coordination among the state, water providers, water users, local governments, government agencies, and researchers in the study of ways weather and climate will impact future water supplies, demand, and quality. The plan still includes reference to use of Utah’s remaining allocation from the Colorado River (i.e., the Lake Powell Pipeline), and we will continue to work to help leaders recognize the folly of that effort.
Action: CSU supporters can contact Rep. Stratton about HB41 and let him know you want conservation not the Lake Powell Pipeline. This policy could affect all other future water legislation.
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HB 176 Vehicle Emissions Reduction Program (Rep. Stenquist): Would create the Vehicle Emissions Reduction Program to provide financial assistance in the purchase of a newer, lower emissions motor vehicle, under certain conditions. Bill hasn’t moved since 1/30 but might help with “black smoke” vehicles that pollute air.
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HB 180 Emissions Inspection Revisions (Rep. Maloy): Would exempt electric motor vehicles from local emissions compliance fees ($3 when vehicle is registered) and emissions inspection (~$25). Bill clarifies how emissions checks relate to electric vehicles – no fees and no inspections required.
HB 182 Noise Pollution Amendments (Rep. Wheatley): Would require vehicles subject to an emissions inspection also be inspected for compliance with noise suppression equipment requirements. Imposes fines on an individual for a violation of muffler and noise suppression equipment requirements. Lacking EPA embossed label would easily show if equipment has been modified.
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HB 194 Clean and Renewable Energy Requirement Amendments (Rep. Ward): Would require that, beginning July 1, 2030, at least 50% of the total kilowatt-hours of a large-scale electric utility's annual retail electric sales to customers in the state in a calendar year shall consist of qualifying clean electricity or renewable energy to the extent that it is cost effective to do so.
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HB 235 Voluntary Home Energy Information Pilot Program (Rep. Arent): Would create the Voluntary Home Energy Information Pilot Program under the Office of Energy Development to provide reimbursements to fund home energy assessments and the issuance of home energy performance reports to qualified applicants.
HB 259 Electric Vehicle Charging Network (Rep. Spendlove): Would require the Department of Transportation to lead in the creation of a statewide electric vehicle charging network plan to provide electric vehicle charging facilities along certain state highways.
HB 281 Tax Credit for Alternative Fuel Vehicles (Rep. Harrison): Would create nonrefundable corporate and individual income tax credits for the purchase or lease of certain alternative fuel vehicles.
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HB 331 Water Infrastructure and Maintenance (Rep. Coleman): Would require a large urban water supplier to report annually to the NRAE Interim Committee on its plans to stay current on water infra-structure repair and replacement. Existing infrastructure is critical and must be tracked and repaired. We need this to be under control before reaching out for water 140 miles away at Lake Powell. Currenly the bill is in House Rules, where it may languish.
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The following bills are pending and no bill text is available yet:
Climate and Air Quality Task Force (Rep. Briscoe)
CR Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day (Rep. Hawkins)
Wind Farm Installation Amendments (Rep. Ray)
Water Source Protection Zone Amendments (Rep. Waldrip)
CR Encouraging a Balanced Approach to Release of Water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir (Rep. Chew)
House Continuing Resolutions (HCRs) show some promise too:
HCR 11 Supporting the Utah Roadmap for Positive Solutions and Leadership on Climate and Air Quality (Rep. Briscoe): Supports the 59 recommendations made in the Utah Roadmap as guiding principles for leadership in seeking and encouraging solutions to improve air quality and reduce emissions.
HCR 13 Encouraging Studies of Wildlife Corridors (Rep. Schultz): Expresses the state's support for protecting wildlife and improving motorist safety through continued support for wildlife corridors and encourages studies related to wildlife migration corridors within the state.
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SB 26 Water Banking Amendments (Sen. Iwamoto): Would enact the Water Banking Act, including outlining how statutory and contractual water banks are established and regulated. Water banking is a mechanism that allows legal transfer and market value exchange of water – surface, ground and stored – and could be a very useful mechanism for helping with our water future. Result of three-year collaborative effort. Would support agricultural community. Aligns with Governor Herbert’s water overview. Would help eliminate need for outright sale of water right (buy and dry) which can devastate rural communities. Voluntary and temporary banking of water. Maintains private property rights.
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SB 50 Clean Energy Act Amendments (Sen. Anderegg): Clarifies definitions of qualifying clean energy vehicles in the commercial property clean energy program (C-PACE).
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SB 51 Substitute SB 51 Secondary Water Requirements (Sen. Anderegg): The Substitute substantially guts the bill’s requirement to meter all secondary water by the end of 2040, or to prepare a plan to meter all water. This is very troubling to CSU because secondary water use has been “estimated” and we need real action on this. $240M fiscal impact is slowing this. However, cheaper than a multi-billion Lake Powell Pipeline. Anderegg will continue to look for ways to deal with secondary water and funding in future years.
SB 52 Agricultural Water Use Amendments (Sen. Anderegg): Would require the Division of Water Rights to prepare a detailed report about agricultural use of water. If done right, this could be a very good thing given that 80% of water in Utah is ag water (~60% in Washington County) but more study is needed. Bill is not moving at this time but needs to be monitored.
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SB 77 2nd Substitute SB 77 Electric Energy Storage Tax Credit (Sen. Kitchen): Would create an income tax credit for the purchase of an electricity storage battery or other technology.
SB 78 Energy Storage Innovation, Research, and Grant Program (Sen. Fillmore): Would create a grant program to advance energy storage research and technology development and deployment, and appropriates $5 million in one-time funds.
SB 84 Public Entity Water Users Amendments (Sen. Anderegg): Would require a public entity water user to develop a plan for metering water it uses and adopt a conservation plan that applies to its efficient water, including appropriate timing for the watering of land.
SB 100 SITLA Amendments (Sen. Okerlund): Would expand the circumstances for when a meeting of the board of State Institutional Trust Lands Administration may be closed. This does not look like a good thing! Already SITLA has more power than seems necessary.
SB 131 Property Tax Exemption for Wildfire Prevention (Sen. Hemmert): Would enact a property tax exemption that reduces a property owner's property tax liability for expenses paid or incurred for wildfire prevention.
Senate Continuing Resolutions with no text yet – keep an eye on…
CR Concerning Climate Action (Sen. Cullimore)
Oil and Gas Modifications (Sen. Okerlund)
Oil, Gas and Mining Amendments (Sen. Okerlund)
Highway Advertising Amendments (Sen. Sandall)
Scenic Byways Amendments (Sen. Anderegg)
Senate Joint Resolutions
SJR 10 Proposal to Amend the Utah Constitution – Property Tax Exemption for Wildfire Prevention (Sen. Hemmert): Proposes to amend the Utah Constitution to enact a provision relating to a property tax exemption for wildfire prevention efforts.
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We hope this information helps you to understand some of what’s happening in our legislature. This focus is on issues relevant to our organization’s mission but is only the tip of the ice berg when it comes to legislative actions.
Stay tuned and please stay involved!
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