UT HB0247

Brine shrimp royalty tax increases from 3.25 cents to 3.75 cents per pound of unprocessed eggs for tax years beginning February 1, 2026

Revenue from brine shrimp royalty redirected to Sovereign Lands Management Account instead of Species Protection Account starting July 1, 2028, with the first $125,000 annually going to Sovereign Lands Management Account immediately

Great Salt Lake extraction operators without voluntary water rights agreements face 7.8% severance tax, while those with agreements pay 2.6% or no tax depending on whether lake elevation was at or above 4,198 feet in the prior year

Proceeds from judgments, settlements, or compromises related to Great Salt Lake sovereign lands claims must be deposited into the Sovereign Lands Management Account and spent according to settlement terms

Sovereign Lands Management Account funds after July 1, 2026 must benefit Great Salt Lake through water right leases or projects supporting brine shrimp population health, with $125,000 directed by the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council