House Joint Resolution No. [insert number] expresses the support of the Montana Legislature for the State of Utah in its legal challenge against the federal government regarding the retention of unappropriated public lands. The resolution highlights that approximately 69% of Utah's land is federally owned, with a significant portion being unappropriated and not reserved for any specific purpose. This situation, according to Utah, undermines its sovereignty by preventing the state from exercising powers such as taxation and eminent domain over these lands. The resolution argues that the federal government's policy of retaining these lands is unconstitutional and disrupts the balance of power between the federal government and the states.

Furthermore, the resolution asserts that Montana faces a similar issue, with about 30% of its land also federally owned, and urges the federal government to reconsider its land retention policies. It emphasizes that such policies deny Montana equal statehood and representation, and calls for a restriction on federal land ownership to alleviate separation of powers conflicts. The Montana Legislature expresses its full support for Utah's efforts to seek a judgment declaring the federal policy unconstitutional and encourages Utah to continue its legal pursuit in the United States District Court for the District of Utah.