Lawmakers appear to be divided on a bill that makes sure the value of wildlife is considered when School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration does land trades.
Rep. Mike Styler, R-Delta, said SITLA's mission to get the best price of the land to benefit schoolchildren collides with the Department of Natural Resource's goal to protect wildlife.
Styler said HB121 would simply require SITLA to consult with DNR on land trades.
Dave Terry, trust lands administrator, said that's already being done. Disputes are resolved through the Governor's Resource Development Coordination Council. "I think the bill is redundant," he said.
So do many lawmakers.
The bill shouldn't even be considered, said Morgan Philpot, R-Sandy. It's unconstitutional to have two organizations with opposing interests collaborating, he said.
The House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee on Thursday decided to hold the bill for further discussion before passing it on to the House for consideration.