Bill > HB299

This bill revises the provisions for granting public use easements on state lands by modifying existing statutes to clarify and expand the purposes for which easements can be granted. The bill reorganizes and updates the list of permissible easement uses, which now explicitly includes public uses as defined in 70-30-102, public trails, and various other specific purposes such as schoolhouse sites, public parks, community buildings, and cemeteries. The bill also maintains existing provisions for conservation easements, including those for the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and certain nonprofit corporations. Additionally, the bill updates provisions for applying for easements, including survey requirements for different types of infrastructure such as electrical transmission, pipelines, and utility facilities. The legislation provides more flexible guidelines for documenting and establishing easements, particularly for pre-existing infrastructure and access roads installed before October 1, 1997. The bill includes a provision that easements will terminate if they are no longer used for their original intended purpose, and it becomes effective immediately upon passage and approval.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2857