Minneslate Logo

HF3991 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

St. Louis County private sales of land authorized.

Related bill: SF4116

AI Generated Summary

Purpose

The bill would allow St. Louis County to privately sell certain lands that would normally be sold through public processes. The goal is to return land to private ownership in specific situations (such as addressing encroachments) and to streamline how these lands are managed.

Main Provisions

  • Sec 1 – Private sale of tax-forfeited land in St. Louis County

    • The county may privately sell tax-forfeited land that would otherwise follow public sale procedures.
    • The conveyance must be in a form approved by the attorney general (AG). The AG can adjust the land description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
    • The land described is located in St. Louis County and is intended to be returned to private ownership to resolve a structure encroachment.
    • This section creates authority to bypass normal public sale rules for this specific parcel.

  • Sec 2 – Private sale of county fee-owned land in St. Louis County

    • The county may privately sell county-owned lands that would normally require public sale and competitive bidding.
    • The lands described include multiple parcels in a Brookston area (specific lots and parts of vacated alleys/streets are listed).
    • The county states that selling these lands privately would best serve the county’s interests.
    • This section creates authority to bypass normal public sale/bidding requirements for these specific parcels.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

  • Authorization for private sale: The bill permits St. Louis County to sell certain tax-forfeited and county fee-owned lands by private sale instead of the usual public sale and competitive bidding processes found in existing Minnesota statutes.
  • Oversight and accuracy: Conveyances must be prepared in AG-approved form, and the AG may adjust land descriptions to correct errors.
  • Targeted use: The private-sale authority is limited to designated lands described in the statute and aims to address encroachments and land-management needs, rather than broad, general use.
  • Legal references temporarily bypassed: The bill specifies not to apply standard public sale requirements in Minnesota Statutes chapter 282 (tax-forfeited land) and chapter 373 (public sale/auction rules) for the described properties.

What this means in plain terms

  • St. Louis County can privately sell specific parcels of land to resolve encroachment issues and improve land management, without going through the usual public bidding process.
  • The Attorney General has a role to approve the sale documents and ensure the land descriptions are accurate.

Relevant Terms

  • private sale
  • tax-forfeited land
  • county fee-owned lands
  • St. Louis County
  • public sale provisions
  • Minnesota Statutes chapter 282
  • Minnesota Statutes chapter 373
  • attorney general
  • conveyance
  • land description
  • structure encroachment
  • land management interests
  • Right of Way Plat No. 69181
  • Parcel 75
  • Brookston
  • vacated alley
  • vacated Third Avenue

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
March 05, 2026HouseActionIntroduction and first reading, referred toEnvironment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Allows private sale of tax-forfeited land in St. Louis County that would otherwise be subject to public sale under Minn. Stat. ch. 282.",
        "Conveyance must be in a form approved by the attorney general; the attorney general may amend the land description to correct errors and ensure accuracy."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill authorizes St. Louis County to privately sell tax-forfeited land notwithstanding the public sale provisions of Minn. Stat. chapter 282; the conveyance must be in a form approved by the attorney general, and the attorney general may adjust the land description to correct errors.",
      "modified": [
        "Overrides the public sale provisions of Minn. Stat. ch. 282 for the depicted land in St. Louis County."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "282",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Allows private sale of county fee-owned lands notwithstanding Minn. Stat. ch. 373 public sale and bidding requirements."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill allows St. Louis County to privately sell county fee-owned lands notwithstanding the public sale and competitive bidding requirements of Minn. Stat. chapter 373; the lands described include properties in Section 34 Township 51 North Range 18 West and other parcels in Brookston.",
      "modified": [
        "Overrides the public sale and competitive bidding requirements of Minn. Stat. ch. 373 for the lands described in the bill."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "373",
    "subdivision": ""
  }
]

Progress through the legislative process

17%
In Committee

Sponsors

Loading…