SB112 Aquatic Invasive Species Amendments
This bill made a few administrative updates to boating fees in Utah. Previously, boaters could pay their boat registration fee and their aquatic invasive species fee in the same payment and through the same process. However, in an effort to address fee-collection issues, this new legislation will require boat owners to pay their boat registration fee through the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles and then to separately pay the aquatic invasive species fee, resulting in two separate proof-of-registration stickers. Both payments can be made through the DMV but are required to be separate transactions. Boaters will also be able to pay the aquatic invasive species fee on the DWR website.The aquatic invasive species funds are used to help prevent quagga mussels from spreading from Lake Powell to other Utah waterbodies.
This new legislation also requires boaters who live in Utah to take the annual quagga mussel awareness course, which can be found on the STD of the Sea website. Previously, the education course was only required for non-resident boaters.
This new law will go into effect July 1.
SB8 State agency fees and internal service fund rate authorization and appropriations
In August 2022, the Utah Wildlife Board approved a fee increase for hunting and fishing licenses and permits — for both residents and non-residents — in an effort to keep up with increased rising costs of operation. The legislature also passed this fee increase during the legislative session. License and permit fees fund most of the daily operations of the DWR. The DWR is currently 92% self-funded and receives only limited funding from the state's General Fund, which is appropriated for specific issues that impact all Utahns. Prior to this change, the last substantive fee increase for resident licenses was in 2014, and the last fee increase for non-resident licenses was in 2020.This new bill will go into effect July 1.
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Loa Fish Hatchery funding, boating registration updates, and other wildlife-related laws passed during 2023 legislative session
There were several bills related to wildlife management that were signed into law this legislative session — here are just a few to know about.