The Utah Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee on Feb. 14 amended and recommended favorably Senate Bill 2 47, a severance tax revenue measure presented by Senator Hinkins. Committee members adopted an amendment that reduced a proposed 5 percent allocation to 3.5 percent for a specified bracket and increased a separate line from 1 percent to 1.5 percent; sponsors said the change is intended to provide operating funds for the Utah Geological Survey restricted account.

Senator Hinkins proposed changing the language on line 85 from 5 percent to "3 and a half percent" and retaining increases on line 86 to 1.5 percent. "I've gone from 2 and a half to 3 and a half percent instead of the 5%," Hinkins said while describing the amendment. He told the committee the adjustment "allows the department ... the Utah geological survey restricted account ... to operate" while the state monitors revenue shifts tied to federal vs. private land activity.

Committee members voted to adopt the amendment (voice vote recorded as passing 2–0 in the earlier amendment votes when only two members constituted quorum) and later voted to recommend the amended bill. After the committee voted to pass SB 2 47 as amended, members agreed to place the bill on the committee consent calendar, meaning it would advance without floor amendments unless otherwise removed.

A line in discussion referenced the first "$50,000,000 of the average aggregate annual revenue." Sponsors said the change is intended to provide operational funding to the Utah Geological Survey restricted account while federal-property revenue shares shift.

What happens next: The committee recommended SB 2 47 as amended and placed it on consent; the amended bill will move to the Senate calendar for further consideration.