Bills that would impact the management of Utah's trust lands were considered by the House Education Committee Monday.
HB41 would shift the management of sovereign lands - which are not part of the trust - from the Division of State Lands and Forestry to the Department of Natural Resources. Sovereign lands are those that were under lakes or navigable rivers when Utah became a state. Their management has become more complicated over time and has become a burden on the division, which is charged with maximizing income to schools and other beneficiaries from the trust lands.The bill was held, however, for an amendment that would provide an advisory board to work with the department on sovereign land issues. Several wildlife and environmental groups said that removing the lands from the purview of the State Land Board without providing another oversight group would limit public input on decisions regarding the land. The sponsor, Rep. Melvin Brown, R-Midvale, agreed to amend the bill to safeguard the public interest.
A second bill would prohibit the sale of trust lands to government subdivisions without competition.