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Judiciary committee advances resolutions asking AG to identify state lands leased to federal government with amendments
Summary
The committee passed SCR 128 and SR 107 with amendments directing review of legal issues around state lands leased to the U.S. government; the Department of the Attorney General recommended agencies that hold land provide inventories instead of the AG compiling them directly.
The Senate Committee on Judiciary voted to pass SCR 128 and SR 107 with amendments asking the Department of the Attorney General to determine whether state constitutional or other legal impediments exist to continued leasing of state lands to the United States or federal agencies.
Miranda Steeb, deputy attorney general, testified the Attorney General’s Office opposes the resolution as drafted because it would require the department to provide predecisional guidance on lease renewals. Steeb said the department does not maintain a central inventory of leases and recommended asking the agencies that hold the land — notably the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Education, and Department of Transportation — to provide inventories directly.
Committee discussion acknowledged the AG’s point that deputies assigned to client agencies review individual leases but do not maintain a comprehensive historic database. The chair proposed and the committee adopted technical amendments: asking the AG to identify any state constitutional or statutory impediments to continued leasing, and to focus the request on legal determinations rather than lease-management tasks.
On the roll call, the committee voted to pass SCR 128 with amendments. The chair, Senator Chang, the acting vice chair (Senator San Buenaventura), and Senator O'Laugh voted aye; Senator Gabbard was excused. The committee also passed SR 107 with amendments.
The committee recorded the AG’s availability to consult with agencies and noted the recommendation that agencies directly provide inventory records rather than routing requests through the AG’s office.
