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House panel adopts committee substitute to ease access to state agricultural land; bill held for further hearings
Summary
The House Resources Committee on May 8 adopted a committee substitute for HB296 to create a merit-based leasing and sale pathway, allow below-market agricultural leases, and establish civil penalties for covenant enforcement; the CS passed 6–1 and the bill was held over for a later hearing.
Juneau — The House Resources Committee on May 8 adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 296, a package of changes intended to make state-managed agricultural land more accessible and to improve long-term stewardship.
"This bill makes it easier for farmers to lease state land and for the Department of Natural Resources to ensure state land sold for agricultural purposes remains in agricultural production," sponsor Representative Donna Mears said, outlining three principal reforms: a leasing program allowing applicants to rent parcels at below-market rates, a merit-based option for awarding agricultural parcels instead of strictly accepting the highest bidder, and new civil-penalty authority to help the department enforce agricultural covenants.
Farm advocates and producers urged the committee to act. Amy Sykes of the…
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