HB0273 | State Trust Lands Administration Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill modifies the administration of state trust lands.

Highlighted Provisions: 

lines 80-82 no sale of 500+ acres unless authorized by legislature via joint resolution. lines 97-100 no transfers of trust lands to the federal government at all unless it results in a net decrease in the percentage of federally owned land in that county. Line 35- Tries to limit exchange options to energy and natural resource development tracts.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0273
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Phil Lyman
Republican - District 69
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2015-1 | School Trust Lands
Impact on Children: 

This would significantly limit SITLA's ability to negotiate land exchanges with the federal government. Prohibiting SITLA from selling or transferring its lands to the federal government in "public land counties" (15 of the state's 29 counties are public land counties) unless the transaction results in a net decrease of federally owned lands would essentially render large-scale exchanges impossible and cause SITLA to forego promising opportunities in other parts of rural Utah. This attempt to remove the legislative management committee's authority to approve land exchanges will impede certain conditions when the committee needs to act in a timely manner to secure land exchanges. Overall, this bill will impede SITLA's ability to make land deals that are in the interest of the beneficiaries that it serves.

Commission: 
Trust Lands
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved-That Utah PTA encourage State and local officials to take all necessary steps to assure that management of the School Trust Lands is in accordance with trust duties and principles including undivided loyalty to the beneficiaries, a duty to make trust property productive, a duty to keep and render accounts, and a duty to exercise prudence and skill in administering the trust, thereby obtaining much-needed revenue for Utah's public schools; and be if further
Resolved-That Utah PTA work to encourage Federal and State officials to fulfill their responsibilities under the Enabling Act by assisting the State in proper management of School Trust Lands for their intended purpose to support public schools; and in cases where management for trust purposes would conflict with other important purposes, such as protection of archaeological, aesthetic, or other environmental or cultural resources, that the Federal Government or State purchase, or trade the affected lands for other lands of comparable value; and be it further