Link to Zipped WordPerfect Minutes 7K bytes

MINUTES OF THE HOUSE

NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, & ENVIRONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
Room W125, West Office Building, State Capitol Complex

January 25, 2007


Members Present:    Rep. Roger E. Barrus, Chair
    Rep. Kerry Gibson, Vice Chair
    Rep.     Sylvia Andersen
    Rep. Mel Brown     Rep. Jack Draxler
    Rep. Carl Duckworth     Rep. James Gowans
    Rep. Neal Hendrickson
    Rep. John Mathis
    Rep. Mike Noel
    Rep. Patrick Painter
    Rep. Phil Riesen
    Rep. Steve Sandstrom
    Rep. Richard Wheeler

Members Absent:    Rep. Glenn Donnelson
    
Staff Present:    Brian Allred, Policy Analyst
            Carrie Griffith, Committee Secretary
    
Note:        List of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with committee minutes

Rep. Gibson called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Gowans moved to approve the minutes of the January 23, 2007 meeting. The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Brown, Rep. Hendrickson, Rep. Mathis, Rep. Noel, Rep. Painter, and Rep. Wheeler absent for the vote.

H.B. 102    Severance Tax Amendments (Rep. D. Clark) (three handouts)
    
Rep. Clark explained the bill to the committee.

Leonard Blackham, Commissioner Utah Department of Water and Food, showed a power point presentation explaining the Land and Water Reinvestment Fund.

Mike Styler, Director Department of Natural Resources, showed a chart presentation for the Land and Water Reinvestment Fund.

Spoke to the bill:    Lee Peacock, Utah Petroleum Association
            Larry Bunkall, Utah Kennecott Copper

Spoke for the bill:    Bill Rigby, Davis County rural crop farmer
            Todd Bingham, Utah Farm Bureau
            Brent Tanner, Utah Cattlemen's Association

Spoke against the bill:    Mike Jerman, Utah Tax Payers Association

MOTION:    Rep. Riesen moved to pass the bill out favorably. The bill passed with Rep. Brown voting in opposition.

Rep. Gibson relinquished the chair to Rep. Barrus.

H.B. 311    Utah Dairy Act Amendments (Rep. K. Gibson)

MOTION:    Rep. Andersen moved to delete in title and body H.B. 311 and replace it with 1st Sub. H.B. 311. The motion passed unanimously.

Rep. Gibson explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:    Rep. Gibson moved to amend 1st Sub. H.B. 311 as follows:

1.    Page 8, Line 225 :    

             225          (j) participates in a hazard analysis critical control point system as
{   designed   }        established       by the

    
    The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Wheeler absent for the vote.

Spoke to the bill:     Kyle Stephens, Deputy Commissioner, Utah Dept of Agriculture and Food

Spoke for the bill:    Todd Bingham, Utah Farm Bureau
            Mark Gibbons, President, Utah Dairy Association
            Grant Kohler, Chairman Utah Dairy Commission
            Rhett Roberts, President Dairy for Raw Milk
            
Spoke against the bill:    Jim Olsen, President Utah Food Industry Association
            Debra Turner, Director Utah Department of Health
            
MOTION:    Rep. Noel moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed with Rep. Hendrickson, Rep. Riesen and Rep. Wheeler voting in opposition. Rep. Painter was absent for the vote.


S.B. 28    Water Conveyance Easements (Sen. D. Stowell) (Rep. M. Noel)

Sen. Dmitrich explained the bill to the committee. (handout)

Spoke for the bill:    Legrand Bitter, Utah Association of Special Districts

MOTION:    Rep. Mathis moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Gibson, Rep. Hendrickson, and Rep. Painter absent for the vote.

S.B. 85    Mining Test Fees (Sen. M. Dmitrich) (Rep. B. King)

MOTION:    Rep. Mathis moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Lines 17 through 18 :    

             17      Other Special Clauses:
             18          
{   None   }        This bill takes effect on July 1, 2007.      


2.    Page 2, Lines 55 through 57 :    

             55          (5) A certificate issued under [Sections] Section 40-2-14 and [ 40-2-15 ] this section
             56      shall expire if the certificate holder ceases to work in the mining industry or a mine related
             57      industry for more than five consecutive years.
  Section 2. Effective date.

    This bill takes effect on July 1, 2007.  


    The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Gibson, Rep. Hendrickson, and Rep. Painter absent for the vote.

Sen. Dmitrich explained the bill to the committee. (handout)

MOTION:    Rep. Riesen moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The bill passed unanimously with Rep. Gibson, Rep. Hendrickson and Rep Painter absent for the vote.

The meeting adjourned at 9:52 a.m.


    
                    _________________________
    Rep. Roger E. Barrus, Chair