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HB 247UTAHSession 2026State BillSigned into law

Enacted

Utah adjusts Great Salt Lake extraction severance taxes, brine shrimp royalties, and trust account funding rules

Original title: Great Salt Lake Related Amendments

Last action · March 25, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Ray Ward and 25 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Does

Utah enacts HB 247 to restructure mineral es for Great Salt Lake extraction operators based on water-rights agreements and lake elevations, adjust brine shrimp royalty rates, and redirect revenues into the . The legislation takes effect May 6, 2026, and July 1, 2026, with retrospective operation to January 1, 2025.

Why it matters

Mineral extraction companies operating on the Great Salt Lake face tiered rates ranging from 0% to 7.8% depending on whether they enter water-rights agreements and maintain lake water levels above 4,198 feet, while brine shrimp harvesters pay increased per-pound rates.

Who It Affects

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

Directly affected

Great Salt Lake extraction operators

Operators are subject to tiered severance tax rates, annual certification requirements, and reporting rules linked to water rights and lake elevation.

Directly affected

Brine shrimp harvesters

Harvesters must pay an increased per-pound royalty rate and report harvest totals to the Division of Wildlife Resources.

Directly affected

Department of Natural Resources

The department and its divisions receive deposits into restricted accounts, administer fund expenditures, and manage certifications.

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

How does the bill affect severance taxes for mineral extractors on the Great Salt Lake?

It establishes a tiered structure ranging from 0% to 7.8% based on whether the operator participates in a voluntary water-rights agreement and whether the Great Salt Lake elevation is above or below 4,198 feet.

What is the new tax rate for harvesting brine shrimp eggs?

For tax years beginning on or after February 1, 2026, the brine shrimp royalty is 3.75 cents multiplied by the total number of pounds harvested, up from 3.25 cents.

Where do the revenues generated from these royalties and taxes go?

Revenues are directed to restricted accounts including the and the , depending on specific statutory thresholds and funding rules.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

66 actions

Mar 25, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolled
Governor Signed
Mar 16, 2026House
House/ to Governor
Mar 16, 2026House
House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
Mar 12, 2026House
House/ enrolled bill to Printing
Mar 12, 2026Clerk of the House
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared

Show 60 earlier actions

Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Bill Received from House for Enrolling
Mar 7, 2026House
House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
Mar 7, 2026House
House/ received from Senate
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ to House
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ received from House
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ to Senate
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ concurs with Senate amendment
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ received from Senate
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ to House with amendments
Mar 6, 2026SenateFloor
Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ substituted
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
Mar 5, 2026Senate
Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
Mar 5, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0247S05
Mar 4, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247S05
Mar 4, 2026Senate
Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
Mar 4, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247S05
Mar 4, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247S05
Mar 3, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0247S04
Mar 3, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247S04
Mar 3, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247S04
Mar 3, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247S04
Mar 2, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0247S03
Mar 2, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247S03
Feb 26, 2026Senate
Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
Feb 26, 2026Senate
Senate/ committee report favorable
Feb 26, 2026Senate
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Feb 25, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247S03
Feb 25, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247S03
Feb 24, 2026Senate
Senate Comm - Not Considered
Feb 20, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247S02
Feb 19, 2026SenateCommittee
Senate/ to standing committee
Feb 18, 2026SenateIntroduced
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
Feb 17, 2026Senate
Senate/ received from House
Feb 17, 2026House
House/ to Senate
Feb 17, 2026HouseFloor
House/ passed 3rd reading
Feb 17, 2026House
House/ substituted
Feb 17, 2026House
House/ 3rd reading
Feb 17, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247S02
Feb 17, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247S02
Feb 7, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0247S01
Feb 7, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247S01
Feb 6, 2026House
House/ 2nd reading
Feb 6, 2026House
House/ comm rpt/ substituted
Feb 5, 2026House
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Feb 5, 2026House
House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
Feb 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247S01
Feb 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247S01
Feb 4, 2026HouseCommittee
House/ to standing committee
Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroduced
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
Jan 20, 2026House
House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
Jan 17, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0247
Jan 17, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0247
Jan 14, 2026House
House/ received bill from Legislative Research
Jan 13, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0247
Jan 13, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0247
Jan 13, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
Jan 13, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
Bill Numbered but not Distributed

Version history

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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.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

policy shift95% confidence

Incentivizing Water Conservation via Tax Rates

The legislation directly links industrial mineral extraction tax burdens to participation in voluntary water rights agreements and lake level thresholds.

State Tax Commission Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands