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Lands bill paused after roll call; committee cites late amendment and trail dispute
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Summary
House File 4222 (lands bill) was amended to correct earlier conveyances and add small transfers, but members delayed moving the bill after debate over a late-filed amendment related to the Kiyuna mountain-bike trail; a roll call showed 14 ayes to 12 nays but committee rules required a majority of the full committee so the bill remained with the committee.
Representative Godfrey presented House File 4222 — the lands bill — along with an A6 amendment adding two small conveyances from the Minnesota Historical Society to the Lower Sioux Indian Community and the city of Marine on Saint Croix and other land updates. Sponsors described the bill as the "2026 lands bill" intended to be noncontroversial and to clean up an omission from a prior lands bill.
A request to delay moving the bill came from Representative Heisman and others because of a late-filed amendment concerning the Kiyuna mountain-bike trail system (a parcel-interest issue) that could have fiscal or legal impacts and was not yet ready for floor action. Members said DNR and interested parties were meeting later in the week to try to resolve the dispute without legislation.
The clerk called a roll-call vote on the amended lands bill. The tally read 14 ayes, 12 nays; however, committee practice or local agreement required a majority of committee members in favor to move the bill. Because that threshold was not met, the bill stayed with the committee and will be revisited when sponsors and interested parties resolve outstanding issues.
Next steps: The lands bill remains with committee; sponsors and DNR expect to continue negotiations on the Kiyuna trail matter and may return with an amendment or nonlegislative fix.
