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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah exempts certain lower basin water conservancy district rights from forfeiture and restricts instream flow applications
Last action · March 25, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Colin Jack and 1 other
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What This Bill Does
Utah HB 187 exempts specific water rights held by water conservancy districts in the of the Colorado River from forfeiture rules for nonuse and prohibits certain change applications in that region, effective May 6, 2026.
Changes legal protections for water rights held by water conservancy districts within the Colorado River by shielding them from standard forfeiture rules while simultaneously barring certain water users and divisions from filing specific change applications in the same area.
- The Colorado River Compact governs the allocation of water rights across the river's upper and lower basins, involving multiple western states. context
- Utah water law generally mandates that water rights unused for seven years are subject to forfeiture unless covered by specific statutory exemptions or approved nonuse applications. context
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 conservancy districts
Their water rights related to the lower basin are exempted from standard forfeiture rules for nonuse.
Water users in the lower basin
They are restricted from filing certain instream flow and reservoir change applications originating within the lower basin.
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
Which water rights are exempt from forfeiture under this bill?
Who is prohibited from filing certain instream flow change applications in the lower basin?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
47 actions- Mar 25, 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 2, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 41 earlier actions
- Mar 2, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from House for Enrolling
- Feb 26, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
- Feb 26, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Feb 26, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Feb 26, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
- Feb 26, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 26, 2026SenateSenate/ 3rd reading
- Feb 25, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd reading
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd reading
- Feb 19, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 19, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Feb 18, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 17, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Feb 17, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 12, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Feb 12, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Feb 12, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 12, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Feb 3, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Feb 3, 2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Feb 3, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0187S02
- Feb 3, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0187S02
- Feb 2, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 2, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Jan 30, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0187S02
- Jan 30, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0187S02
- Jan 21, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Jan 21, 2026House Rules CommitteeBill Substituted by Sponsor in House Rules Comm
- Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 16, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0187S01
- Jan 16, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0187S01
- Jan 16, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0187
- Jan 16, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0187
- Jan 14, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 13, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0187S01
- Jan 13, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0187S01
- Jan 7, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0187
- Jan 7, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0187
- Jan 7, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 7, 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.
Lower Basin Water Rights Protection
The bill carves out specific statutory exemptions from forfeiture for water conservancy districts operating in the lower basin of the Colorado River.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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