Committee approves bill to clear title for county, municipal roads across state and school lands; deadlines adjusted

The Agriculture, State & Public Lands & Water Resources Committee approved House Bill 219, which directs the Office of State Lands and Investments and counties to identify and secure perpetual easements for county and municipal roads that cross state and school trust lands.

Why it matters: The bill is intended to reduce recurring confusion and administrative delays when private users, financiers or counties attempt to confirm legal public access across state and school sections. Committee sponsors and state land officials said the work is largely a cleanup of historic roads established by long use but lacking formal Board of Land Commissioners easements.

What the bill does

Representative Rusty Locke, prime sponsor, said the draft creates a process for the Office of State Lands and Investments (OSLI) to inventory roads that lie on state or school lands and for counties and municipalities to secure perpetual easements for roads established prior to a…