SB 984

Under current law, in general, the Department of Transportation must offer for sale property that DOT determines is not necessary for the state’s use for transportation purposes. Before conducting a public sale on a surplus parcel, DOT must contact the county, municipality, and the local school district where the parcel is located and the Department of Natural Resources to solicit interest in acquiring the parcel for public use. In general, if a county, municipality, or school district or DNR expresses interest in acquiring the parcel for public use, DOT must offer the parcel to the interested party at its appraised value, except that if the parcel is to be used for transportation or infrastructure purposes, DOT may offer the parcel for less than its appraised value.

This bill adds federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands to the group of entities that must be informed of proposed surplus property sales by DOT when the surplus property is located within the reservation or a federal Bureau of Indian Affairs service area of the tribe or band. These American Indian tribes and bands are also added to the group of entities that may obtain DOT surplus lands prior to public sale for the appraised value, or in some cases, below appraised value.