POLISCOPE
Back to bills
Part ofNatural Resources →

The civic record

Read. Follow. Verify.
HB 157UTAHSession 2026State Billpassed both
Passed

Utah Updates Department of Natural Resources Statutes, Water Rights, and Geological Survey Rules

Original title: Department of Natural Resources Amendments

Last action · March 6, 2026: House/ filedSponsors: Rex Shipp and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

What This Bill Would Do

This bill modifies provisions governing the Department of Natural Resources, including allowing electronic water records, updating water metering and rules, expanding the Utah Geological Survey board, and repealing the Alternative Energy Development Tax Credit Act. The changes take effect on May 6, 2026.

Why it matters

The measure alters how water rights, geological data, and state natural resource programs are administered, affecting state agencies, water users, and mineral leaseholders across Utah.

Background
  • The Department of Natural Resources in Utah oversees the state's water, wildlife, geological, and state park resources through various specialized divisions. context
  • HB 157 was introduced during the 2026 General Session of the Utah Legislature by Representative Rex P. Shipp. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Water rights holders

Water rights holders are subject to revised provisions regarding change applications, electronic recordkeeping, and mineral lease terminations impacting water rights.

Directly affected

Secondary water suppliers

Secondary water suppliers must comply with metering installation deadlines, reporting requirements, and potential enforcement actions or administrative fines.

Directly affected

Utah Geological Survey

The Survey experiences modifications to its duties, board composition, and administrative procedures.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What changes are made to water records under this bill?
The bill allows the to keep records, field notes, computations, and maps in either physical or electronic form.
How does the bill affect the Utah Geological Survey board?
It modifies the makeup of the board by expanding the number of members from seven to eight, adding specific qualifications regarding water resources and the public at large.
What happens to the Alternative Energy Development Tax Credit Act?
The Act is repealed under Section 15 of the bill.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

49 actions
  1. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ filed
  2. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ received from Senate
  3. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House
  4. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ strike enacting clause
  5. Mar 4, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0157S04
  6. Mar 4, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0157S04
Show 43 earlier actions
  1. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 3nd Reading Calendar to Rules
  2. Mar 4, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0157S04
  3. Mar 4, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0157S04
  4. Mar 2, 2026Senate
    Senate/ placed on 3rd Reading Calendar table
  5. Mar 2, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 3rd reading
  6. Mar 2, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 2nd reading
  7. Mar 2, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd reading
  8. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
  9. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    Senate/ committee report favorable
  10. Feb 24, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  11. Feb 23, 2026SenateCommittee
    Senate/ to standing committee
  12. Feb 20, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  13. Feb 19, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received from House
  14. Feb 19, 2026House
    House/ to Senate
  15. Feb 19, 2026HouseFloor
    House/ passed 3rd reading
  16. Feb 19, 2026House
    House/ 3rd reading
  17. Feb 17, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0157S03
  18. Feb 13, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0157S03
  19. Feb 12, 2026House
    House/ 2nd reading
  20. Feb 12, 2026House
    House/ comm rpt/ substituted
  21. Feb 11, 2026House
    House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  22. Feb 11, 2026House
    House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
  23. Feb 11, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0157S03
  24. Feb 11, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0157S03
  25. Feb 9, 2026HouseCommittee
    House/ to standing committee
  26. Feb 9, 2026House Rules Committee
    Bill Substituted by Sponsor in House Rules Comm
  27. Feb 6, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0157S02
  28. Feb 5, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0157S02
  29. Feb 3, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0157S02
  30. Feb 3, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0157S02
  31. Jan 27, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0157S01
  32. Jan 26, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0157S01
  33. Jan 23, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0157S01
  34. Jan 23, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0157S01
  35. Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroduced
    House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  36. Jan 20, 2026House
    House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
  37. Jan 16, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0157
  38. Jan 16, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0157
  39. Jan 14, 2026House
    House/ received bill from Legislative Research
  40. Jan 6, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0157
  41. Jan 6, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0157
  42. Jan 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
  43. Jan 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Bill Numbered but not Distributed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Rex ShippHouse · District 71RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Keven StrattonSenate · District 24RepublicanCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Modernization of Water Records and Terminology

The bill systematically updates multiple code sections to authorize electronic recordkeeping by the state engineer and replace outdated terminology such as 'buffalo' with 'bison'.

Division of Water RightsState Parks

Connected Entities

Department of Natural Resources, Rex P. Shipp, Colorado River Authority of Utah and 7 more
OrganizationDepartment of Natural Resources“State department whose provisions are addressed by the bill”Map →
PersonRex P. Shipp“Chief Sponsor of HB 157 in the Utah House of Representatives”Map →
OrganizationColorado River Authority of Utah“Authority whose executive director approves certain reservoir delivery applicati”Map →
OrganizationDivision of State Parks“Division involved in state park management and bison herds”Map →
OrganizationDivision of Wildlife Resources“Division that may file change applications for instream flows”Map →
OrganizationDivision of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands“Division managing sovereign lands and forestry funds”Map →
OrganizationDivision of Water Rights“Division keeping water records and administering appropriations”Map →
PersonKeven J. Stratton“Senate Sponsor of HB 157”Map →
OrganizationUtah Geological Survey“Survey whose duties, makeup, and board membership are modified”Map →
OrganizationDivision of Law Enforcement“Division created within the department to enforce wildlife and resource laws”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record