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Senator pitches bill to protect long‑time cabin lessees on state trust lands
Summary
Sen. Laura Smith introduced SB 500, the "Montana Family Legacy Cabin Act," to restore prior statutory rights allowing longstanding lessees of state trust cabin sites additional opportunity to acquire the land before it is sold to the highest bidder; state land officials opposed the bill citing constitutional fiduciary duties to secure full market value for trust lands.
Sen. Laura Smith, sponsor of SB 500, told the House Natural Resources Committee she brought the bill to protect families who have lived for generations in cabins on state trust lands and who fear being outbid when the state solicits sales. "I call this bill the Montana Family Legacy Cabin Act," Smith said, describing examples in which family cabin owners say they were outbid by buyers from outside the state.
Supporters who spoke during the hearing were not present in the room; the committee heard instead from Frank Cote, who identified himself as representing the state auditor and serving as a member of the State Land Board. Cote said the Land…
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