Bill > HB0473

This bill reorganizes the Colorado River Authority of Utah by moving it from the Governor's office to the Department of Natural Resources, and it renames the "Colorado River Authority of Utah Act" to reflect this change. It also expands the authority's board from seven to ten members, including the river commissioner as chair, representatives from five specific Colorado River authority areas, the director of the Division of Water Resources, the executive director of the Department of Natural Resources (as a non-voting member), and the state engineer (as a non-voting member), and a representative for tribal interests. The bill clarifies the powers and duties of the authority and the river commissioner, including their roles in managing Utah's water rights from the Colorado River system, negotiating with other states and the federal government, and preparing for potential litigation. Additionally, it makes changes to procurement rules for the authority, allowing it to adopt its own procurement procedures similar to state law, and modifies provisions related to protected government records, specifically concerning records related to interstate claims for Colorado River water use.

https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0473.html