63C-4a-308.  Commission duties with regards to federal lands.
     The commission shall:

(1)  review and make recommendations on the transfer of federally controlled public lands to the state;

Terms Used In Utah Code 63C-4a-308

  • Account: means the Constitutional Defense Restricted Account, created in Section 63C-4a-402. See Utah Code 63C-4a-102
  • Commission: means the Federalism Commission, created in Section 63C-4a-302. See Utah Code 63C-4a-102
  • Land: includes :Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
(2)  review and make recommendations regarding the state’s sovereign right to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens as it relates to public lands, including recommendations concerning the use of funds in the account created in Section 63C-4a-404;

(3)  study and evaluate the recommendations of the public lands transfer study and economic analysis conducted by the Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office in accordance with Section 63L-11-304;

(4)  coordinate with and report on the efforts of the executive branch, the counties and political subdivisions of the state, the state congressional delegation, western governors, other states, and other stakeholders concerning the transfer of federally controlled public lands to the state including convening working groups, such as a working group composed of members of the Utah Association of Counties;

(5)  study and make recommendations regarding the appropriate designation of public lands transferred to the state, including stewardship of the land and appropriate uses of the land;

(6)  study and make recommendations regarding the use of funds received by the state from the public lands transferred to the state; and

(7)  receive reports from and make recommendations to the attorney general, the Legislature, and other stakeholders involved in litigation on behalf of the state’s interest in the transfer of public lands to the state, regarding:

(a)  preparation for potential litigation;

(b)  selection of outside legal counsel;

(c)  ongoing legal strategy for the transfer of public lands; and

(d)  use of money appropriated by the Legislature for the purpose of securing the transfer of public lands to the state under Section 63C-4a-404.

Amended by Chapter 451, 2022 General Session