HB 18

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1Public Land Access Amendments
  2026 GENERAL SESSION
  STATE OF UTAH
  Chief Sponsor: Nelson T. Abbott
  Senate Sponsor:
2
3   LONG TITLE
4   Committee Note:
5The Judiciary Interim Committee recommended this bill.
6Legislative Vote:    9 voting for  3 voting against   4 absent
7   General Description:
8This bill addresses access to wildlife management areas.
9   Highlighted Provisions:
10This bill:
11▸ repeals requirement that under certain circumstances an individual is required to hold
12   authorization to hunt or fish to access wildlife management areas; and
13▸ makes technical and conforming amendments.
14   Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15None
16   Other Special Clauses:
17None
18   Utah Code Sections Affected:
19   AMENDS:
2023A-6-402, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 116
21
22   Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23Section 1. Section 23A-6-402 is amended to read:
2423A-6-402 . Right of access to lands for hunting, trapping, or fishing reserved to
  H.B. 18
25   public -- Exceptions.
26   (1) Except as provided in Section 65A-2-5, there is reserved to the public the right of access
27to lands owned by the state, including those lands lying below the official government
28meander line or high water line of navigable waters, for the purpose of hunting,
29trapping, or fishing.
30   (2) When a department or agency of the state leases or sells land belonging to the state
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31      lying below the official government meander line or the high water line of the navigable
32      waters within the state, the lease, contract of sale, or deed shall contain a provision that:
33      (a) the lands shall be open to the public for the purpose of hunting, trapping, or fishing
34during the lawful season, except as provided by Section 65A-2-5; and
35      (b) the lessee, contractee, or grantee may not charge a person who desires to go upon the
36land for the purpose of hunting, trapping, or fishing.
37  (3) Lands referred to in this section shall be regulated or closed to hunting, trapping, or
38      fishing as provided in this title for other lands and waters.
39  (4) The division may temporarily close that portion of a highway, as defined in Section
40      72-1-102, that enters into or crosses land owned by the division if closure is needed for
41      the benefit of wildlife.
42  [(5)(a) Except as provided in Subsections (5), (6), and (7), an individual who is 18 years
43      old or older may not enter that portion of a wildlife management area that is located
44      within a county of the first or second class for any use unless the individual:]
45[(i) holds a valid hunting, fishing, or combination license;]
46[(ii) is permitted to engage in the use under a contract with, or other permission given
47by, the division; or]
48[(iii) is permitted to engage in the use or to access the land in accordance with a
49property right giving the individual the right to use or access land within the
50wildlife management area.]
51      [(b) If the use engaged in by an individual described in Subsection (5)(a) would require
52a specific license, permit, cooperative agreement, or certificate of registration under
53this title if engaged in on other lands or waters, the individual shall hold the correct
54license, permit, cooperative agreement, or certificate of registration to engage in the
55use.]
56  [(6)(a) If an individual is expressly exempt under this title from a requirement to hold a
57      license, permit, cooperative agreement, or certificate of registration to engage in
58      hunting, trapping, or fishing if engaged in on other lands or waters, the individual is
59      not required to hold a hunting, fishing, or combination license to enter a wildlife
60      management area described in Subsection (5)(a).]
61      [(b) An individual may travel on a highway, as defined in Section 72-1-102, located
62within a wildlife management area described in Subsection (5)(a) without obtaining a
63hunting, fishing, or combination license.]
64      [(c) An individual may participate in an educational program or visit an education or
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65visitor center located within a wildlife management area described in Subsection
66(5)(a) without obtaining a hunting, fishing, or combination license.]
67   [(7)(a) The Wildlife Board may make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3,
68Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, to define for purposes of Subsection (6):]
69[(i) what is meant to be "expressly exempt under this title from a requirement to hold
70a license, permit, cooperative agreement, or certificate of registration to engage in
71hunting, trapping, or fishing"; or]
72[(ii) what constitutes an "educational program" or "education or visitor center."]
73[(b) The Wildlife Board may not exempt an individual under Subsection (6)(a), on the
74basis that the individual is not engaged in hunting, trapping, or fishing within a
75wildlife management area.]
76Section 2. Effective Date.
77   This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.
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