Bill > HB0060

This bill modifies existing Utah law regarding water rights and the responsibilities of the state engineer, who is the official responsible for administering water rights. Key changes include clarifying that protests filed with the state engineer must address specific grounds for approving or rejecting an application, and that the state engineer shall approve an application if it meets criteria such as the availability of unappropriated water, no impairment of existing rights, feasibility, and good faith, while also specifying that the state engineer may not reject an application based on detriment to the public welfare if another agency is better suited to address the issue or if the impact is negligible. The bill also adjusts procedures for judicial review of the state engineer's decisions, requiring a petitioner to demonstrate a particularized injury to be considered aggrieved, and clarifies that the state engineer's powers regarding temporary water shortage emergencies do not alter existing statutory duties.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0060.html