All Roll Calls
Yes: 153 • No: 23
UtahH.B. 4962026 General SessionHouseWALLET
Forestry and Fire Amendments
Sponsored By: Troy Shelley (Republican)
Signed by Governor
State LandsEnvironmentForestry and FireNatural ResourcesPublic Lands
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
Landowners can be billed for wildfire costs
Beginning May 6, 2026, the lawyer for the eligible firefighting entity must sue to recover wildfire suppression costs spent on private land. Landowners or responsible parties can be billed for those costs. These bills can be large.
Minimum prevention spending and emergency shift
Beginning May 6, 2026, the division must spend each year the larger of $10 million or $3 million plus 10% of last year’s unspent deposits on wildfire prevention. If the state forester finds a catastrophic need, prevention money can be used to pay suppression costs. This sets a floor for prevention work but allows emergency shifts during extreme fire years.
Stronger enforcement of wildfire laws
Beginning May 6, 2026, the Division of Law Enforcement, county sheriffs, police, and other officers must enforce state forestry and fire laws. They must investigate and gather evidence of violations. County or district attorneys must prosecute violations. This clarifies who enforces and who prosecutes these cases.
State wildfire fund starts with oversight
Beginning May 6, 2026, the law creates the Utah Wildfire Fund. The fund can take money from many sources, like state appropriations, federal money, settlements, and contributions. The state treasurer invests the balance, and all earnings go back into the fund. Each year, the division reports the fund’s balance, deposits, and spending by October 31 after the fiscal year. The first report covers the year ending June 30, 2026, and is due October 31, 2026.
What the wildfire fund pays for
Starting May 6, 2026, the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands runs the Utah Wildfire Fund. The fund pays wildfire costs on state land and, when the division has delegated authority, on private land in unincorporated areas. It can give grants to local and volunteer fire departments to build suppression capacity. It pays prevention costs and costs under cooperative forest‑management agreements. It may also pay for post‑fire rehab on federal land when the state forester finds a direct benefit to state or private lands.
Small grants for local fire departments
Beginning May 6, 2026, total grants from the Utah Wildfire Fund to local or volunteer fire departments cannot exceed $300,000 per fiscal year. The division must set clear eligibility rules for these grants by administrative rule. This limits how much departments can receive statewide each year.
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Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Troy Shelley
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Derrin R. Owens
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 3/5/2026
House/ concurs with Senate amendment
Yes: 61 • No: 5
Senate vote • 3/4/2026
Senate/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/4/2026
Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
Yes: 27 • No: 1
House vote • 3/3/2026
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 4 • No: 1
House vote • 2/27/2026
House/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 55 • No: 15
House vote • 2/27/2026
House/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/27/2026
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/24/2026
House/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/18/2026
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 6 • No: 1
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
3/25/2026House/ to Governor
3/12/2026HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
3/12/2026HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
3/11/2026HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
3/11/2026Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
3/6/2026Bill Received from House for Enrolling
3/6/2026House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
3/5/2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
3/5/2026HouseSenate/ to House
3/5/2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
3/5/2026SenateSenate/ received from House
3/5/2026SenateHouse/ to Senate
3/5/2026HouseHouse/ concurs with Senate amendment
3/5/2026HouseHouse/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
3/5/2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
3/5/2026HouseSenate/ to House with amendments
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ substituted
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
3/4/2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
3/3/2026
Bill Text
Enrolled
3/11/2026
Substitute #2
3/4/2026
Substitute #1
2/27/2026
Introduced
2/5/2026
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