Committee advances bill to restore taxing authority for watershed districts

A House committee on Monday passed House Bill 108 as amended after witnesses described how a 2024 change left some appointed watershed district boards unable to levy mill levies.

Representative Duncan presented the measure and introduced Debbie Hughes, who told the committee that some watershed districts now include landowners who live outside the district and therefore could be taxed without being able to vote on district decisions. "They're having to pay the tax. They're having to they couldn't put they couldn't vote on anything. So it's taxation without representation," Hughes said.

Hughes also told members that in at least one district near Hatch there were only two landowners, so an elected five-member board was impractical; the 2024 amendment had moved those boards to appointment but, she said, the appointment language unintentionally removed authority to impose a mill levy in some cases.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about the scope of the 2024 change and its practical effects. With no opposition from the audience or online, Representative Duraza moved a do-pass and Representative Silva seconded. The committee approved the bill as amended (voice/hand vote; the transcript records passage but does not give a roll-call tally).

The bill now moves on for further consideration by the full House. Supporters said the change corrects an unintended statutory consequence; opponents were not recorded in the committee hearing.