The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Utah establishes dedicated water applications to authorize flexible instream flows and reservoir deliveries
Last action · March 23, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Jill Koford and 3 others
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
This bill creates a new regulatory framework for 's' allowing water right holders to change the use of water for s, sovereign lands, or Colorado River system reservoir deliveries without altering underlying water rights. The measure prohibits separating a dedicated water application from its underlying water right, establishes reporting requirements, and takes effect on May 6, 2026.
Water users and state divisions gain a formalized mechanism to temporarily or indefinitely dedicate water for environmental and conservation purposes while protecting agricultural land from excessive fallowing and preserving the core elements of the original water right.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
water right holders
Water right holders gain the ability to file dedicated water applications for instream flows, sovereign lands, or reservoir deliveries without altering their underlying rights.
agricultural landowners
Landowners are subject to restrictions limiting how many years agricultural land can be removed from production for a dedicated water application.
Division of Water Rights
The division must prioritize processing dedicated water applications, collect fees as dedicated credits, and oversee reporting and lapsing provisions.
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 is a dedicated water application?
Does approving a dedicated water application change the underlying water right?
Can a dedicated water application be separated from its underlying water right?
What protections exist for agricultural lands under this bill?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
42 actions- Mar 23, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 12, 2026HouseHouse/ to Governor
- Mar 12, 2026HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 11, 2026HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11, 2026Clerk of the HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 36 earlier actions
- Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from House for Enrolling
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Feb 24, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 19, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Feb 18, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 17, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Feb 17, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Feb 17, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 17, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Feb 9, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0348S01
- Feb 8, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0348S01
- Feb 6, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Feb 6, 2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Feb 5, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 5, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Feb 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0348S01
- Feb 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0348S01
- Feb 4, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Jan 27, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 27, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0348
- Jan 27, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0348
- Jan 23, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 23, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 23, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0348
- Jan 23, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0348
- Jan 23, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 23, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselBill 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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Creation of Dedicated Water Applications
The legislation introduces a codified mechanism allowing water right holders to dedicate water for instream flows and conservation without risking forfeiture of their base water rights.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools