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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah establishes water-right presumption for historic livestock ponds on homestead parcels under HB 251
Last action · March 25, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Scott Chew and 1 other
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What This Bill Does
Utah establishes a that a claimant has the right to use certain livestock watering ponds on historic homestead parcels, provided specific historical and filing criteria are met. The law takes effect on May 6, 2026.
Property owners claiming uncertified water rights for livestock ponds on former federal homestead parcels gain a legal presumption of validity, shifting the burden during protests, while downstream water holders retain the right to challenge the claim by a preponderance of the evidence.
- Diligence claims represent unrecorded water rights in Utah that were initiated prior to the state's statutory water laws enacted in 1903. context
- The Utah State Engineer oversees the appropriation and distribution of water rights across the state. 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 claimants
Claimants submitting uncertified water rights for livestock watering ponds on homestead parcels gain a rebuttable presumption of validity if statutory criteria are met.
Downstream water right holders
Holders of existing water rights may protest claims and attempt to rebut the presumption by a preponderance of the evidence if their water rights are impaired.
State Engineer
The state engineer is required to process claims, conduct field investigations, publish notices, and incorporate agreements or court decrees into claim files.
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 qualifies as a homestead parcel under this law?
How can someone challenge a water use claim under the new presumption?
What is the effective date of the new homestead parcel provisions?
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
42 actions- Mar 25, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 11, 2026HouseHouse/ to Governor
- Mar 11, 2026HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 4, 2026HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 4, 2026Clerk of the HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Mar 2, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 36 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, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0251S01
- Feb 3, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0251S01
- Feb 3, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Feb 3, 2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Feb 2, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 2, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Feb 2, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0251S01
- Feb 2, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0251S01
- Jan 28, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 17, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0251
- Jan 17, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0251
- Jan 14, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0251
- Jan 14, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0251
- Jan 14, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 14, 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
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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