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Wednesday, November 4, 2026

Utah, on the record.

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Utah bill tracker

H.B. 490: Water Optimization Reporting Amendments

2026 General Session · Originating chamber: House

Saved official records and Ledger coverage. The outcome below is from the Legislature’s own step list.

What the bill does

Did not pass both chambers; the bill was filed on March 6, 2026.

This bill creates a study related to agricultural water optimization.

  • Requires the Division of Water Resources, in coordination with the Division of Water Rights, to study water diversions classified as an agricultural diversion to determine: the number, type, and volume of diversions currently classified as an agricultural diversion; and the volume of water diverted from an agricultural diversion for non-agricultural use
  • Requires the Division of Water Resources to report the results of the study to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee before November 30, 2026
  • Makes technical and conforming changes

The description and list come from the bill's own long title as recorded by the Legislature. Read the official bill. The Ledger takes no position on it.

Subjects: Agriculture · Natural Resources · Department of Natural Resources · Water · Water Conservation

How it moved

  1. · House1st reading (Introduced)Rules Committee
  2. · Houseto standing committeeNatural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee
  3. · HouseHouse Comm - Recommends Returned to RulesNatural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee
  4. · Housefiledfile for bills not passed

Steps as the Legislature recorded them; clerical and fiscal-staff entries are left out. Numbers such as 54-14-7 are yeas, nays and absent.

Fiscal note

From the Legislative Fiscal Analyst's note on H.B. 490, dated February 6, 2026. A fiscal note estimates direct costs and revenue; it is not an appropriation.

  • State revenue: Enactment of this legislation likely will not materially impact state revenue.
  • State expenditures: Enactment of this legislation could cost the Department of Natural Resources $100,000 one-time in FY 2026 and $250,000 one-time in FY 2027 from the General Fund to complete a study on the classification of water diversions.
  • Local government: Enactment of this legislation likely will not result in direct, measurable costs for local governments.
  • Individuals and businesses: Enactment of this legislation likely will not result in direct expenditures from tax or fee changes for Utah residents and businesses.

Bill overview

Sponsor: Doug Owens

Legislature passed-list status: Not available in the saved metadata.

Passed-list membership is not a finding that a bill was signed or took effect. A bill absent from that list is not necessarily pending or defeated.

Latest recorded action

filed
Action date:

The full step list is above. Find the bill in the official session list for status, hearings and committee records.

Recorded floor votes

No floor-vote records for this bill and session are available here. This does not mean no vote occurred; consult the official bill record.

Ledger coverage

No Ledger stories with an explicit source link to this bill and session are listed here.