Arizona House OKs bill to demand US public lands

Arizona may join Utah in demanding that the federal government surrender control of millions of acres of public land to the state.

Arizona legislation that appeared dead a month ago was approved Monday by the state House.

Supporters of the Arizona legislation say the state would be a better manager of resources such as timber and minerals, while critics say supporters of the legislation should just try to have the state secede from the union.

The House’s 35-15 vote sends the bill to the Senate. That chamber already approved an earlier version of the bill.

Utah’s governor has signed similar legislation into law.