This bill addresses provisions related to the Department of Natural Resources and related regulated areas.
This bill:
- removes language related to determining the work period for certain Department of Natural Resources' employees;
- defines terms, including defining "invasive mussel";
- exempts an owner or operator of certain vessels from requirements related to invasive species and launching or operating the vessel on waters of the state;
- addresses vessels owned by government agencies;
- amends provisions related to a required aquatic invasive species education course;
- addresses vessels rented or leased from a boat livery, including modifying recordkeeping requirements for a boat livery;
- modifies provisions related to collection of annual aquatic invasive species fees, including repealing outdated language;
- addresses responsibilities of the Division of Law Enforcement and the Division of Wildlife Resources;
- modifies provisions related to records kept by the Division of Water Rights, including to allow for the records to be kept in physical or electronic form;
- corrects citations;
- addresses funding of litigation;
- addresses treatment of water rights after termination or noncompliance of certain royalty contracts or mineral leases;
- removes a cap on low-interest loans related to secondary water metering;
- modifies when certain applications may be filed with the state engineer under instream flow provisions;
- clarifies rulemaking authority related to rules enforced by the Division of Law Enforcement;
- modifies the duties of the Utah Geological Survey;
- modifies the makeup of the Board of the Utah Geological Survey;
- changes the term "buffalo" to "bison" in certain circumstances;
- repeals the section specifying funding sources of the Watershed Restoration Initiative;
- repeals the Alternative Energy Development Tax Credit Act; and
- makes technical and conforming amendments.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 23A-10-101, 23A-10-201, 23A-10-202, 23A-10-301, 23A-10-302, 23A-10-303, 23A-10-304, 23A-10-401, 23A-10-501, 73-18-10
Amended 2/19/2026 13:02:875: 23A-10-101, 23A-10-201, 23A-10-202, 23A-10-301, 23A-10-302, 23A-10-303, 23A-10-304, 23A-10-401, 23A-10-501, 73-18-10
Substitute #1: 23A-10-101, 23A-10-201, 23A-10-202, 23A-10-301, 23A-10-302, 23A-10-303, 23A-10-304, 23A-10-401, 23A-10-501, 73-18-10
Substitute #2: 23A-10-101, 23A-10-201, 23A-10-202, 23A-10-301, 23A-10-302, 23A-10-303, 23A-10-304, 23A-10-401, 23A-10-501, 63A-17-502, 63J-1-602.1, 73-2-11, 73-3-8, 73-3-30, 73-10-34, 73-10-36, 73-18-10, 79-2-406, 79-2-702, 79-3-202, 79-3-302, 79-4-402, 79-4-1001
Enrolled: 23A-10-101, 23A-10-201, 23A-10-202, 23A-10-301, 23A-10-302, 23A-10-303, 23A-10-304, 23A-10-401, 23A-10-501, 63A-17-502, 63J-1-602.1, 73-2-11, 73-3-8, 73-3-30, 73-10-34, 73-10-36, 73-18-10, 79-2-406, 79-2-702, 79-3-202, 79-3-302, 79-4-402, 79-4-1001
Substitute #3: 23A-10-101, 23A-10-201, 23A-10-202, 23A-10-301, 23A-10-302, 23A-10-303, 23A-10-304, 23A-10-401, 23A-10-501, 63A-17-502, 63J-1-602.1, 73-2-11, 73-3-8, 73-3-30, 73-10-34, 73-10-36, 73-18-10, 79-2-406, 79-2-702, 79-3-202, 79-3-302, 79-4-402, 79-4-1001