HB 244 Utah House · 2025 General Session

Wildlife Management Area Amendments

HB 244 creates the Bear River Bay Waterfowl Management Area on state-owned lands near the Great Salt Lake and modifies the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area. It removes restrictions on impounding structures and prohibits bans on airboat and small watercraft use year-round (except in limited habitat protection zones). The bill also requires an advisory committee for the Willard Spur area to advise on structures. These changes directly affect recreational users like hunters, anglers, and wildlife viewers who access these areas, while focusing on managing habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Signed Mar 24, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute #1 Enrolled · 7 edits · Mar 24, 2025
MODERATE
This bill establishes two new wildlife management areas in Utah: the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area and the Bear River Bay Waterfowl Management Area. It removes previous restrictions on using impounding structures (like dikes) and allows year-round public access for airboats and small watercraft, with limited exceptions for protecting wildlife. The changes also require the creation of an advisory committee to review any new structures built in the Willard Spur area.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of state wildlife management by designating two specific new areas and altering the rules for how those areas are managed, specifically regarding water control structures and public access methods.
SCOPE

Establishes the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area on specific unsurveyed state lands near the Great Salt Lake.

Establishes the Bear River Bay Waterfowl Management Area on lands in Bear River Bay.

REQUIREMENT

Removes the prohibition on constructing or using impounding structures (such as dikes or levees) within the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area.

Removes the prohibition on year-round public access via airboats and small watercraft in the management areas, allowing it except during limited periods to protect habitat or nesting birds.

Requires the division to form an advisory committee before constructing any structure within the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area.

DEFINITION

Updates the definition of 'waterfowl management area' to explicitly include the two newly created areas.

TIMELINE

Sets the effective date of the bill to May 7, 2025.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
35
Key actions
7
Committee
5
Mar 24, 2025
Signed into law
Governor Signed
executive
Mar 8, 2025
Legislature · Passed
House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
legislature
Mar 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate/ committee report favorable
upper
Feb 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
upper
Feb 21, 2025
Committee
Senate/ to standing committee
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Introduced
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
House/ passed 3rd reading
upper
Feb 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Committee
House/ to standing committee
lower
Jan 21, 2025
Introduced
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors