House Bill No. introduced by L. Brewster aims to revise the laws governing the leasing and sale of state land for commercial purposes in Montana. The bill eliminates the requirement for public auctions for state land sales, allowing for individual agreements between lessees and the Department. It amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to redefine "commercial purpose" to include the development of real property for residential, industrial, or commercial use, while excluding multifamily residential development. Additionally, it introduces provisions for the lessee to match high bids during sales and allows for the waiving of certain rights in writing.

The bill also repeals several existing sections of the MCA related to the sale process, including those governing certificates of purchase and procedures in case of default. Key amendments include changes to the notice and sale procedures, ensuring that sales are conducted in a manner that serves the best interests of the applicable trust beneficiary. The bill emphasizes the importance of written agreements between the department and lessees regarding various aspects of leasing and selling state land, thereby streamlining the process and providing more flexibility in managing state land resources.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 77-1-902, 77-1-906, 77-2-321, 77-2-322, 77-2-323, 77-2-324, 77-2-325, 77-2-329, 77-2-363
HB0379_1(1): 77-1-902, 77-1-906, 77-2-321, 77-2-322, 77-2-323, 77-2-324, 77-2-325, 77-2-329, 77-2-363
HB0379_1(2): 77-1-902, 77-1-906, 77-2-321, 77-2-322, 77-2-323, 77-2-324, 77-2-325, 77-2-329, 77-2-363
HB0379_1(3): 77-1-902, 77-1-906, 77-2-321, 77-2-322, 77-2-323, 77-2-324, 77-2-325, 77-2-329, 77-2-363
HB0379_1(4): 77-1-902, 77-1-906, 77-2-321, 77-2-322, 77-2-323, 77-2-324, 77-2-325, 77-2-329, 77-2-363
HB0379_1: 77-1-902, 77-1-906, 77-2-321, 77-2-322, 77-2-323, 77-2-324, 77-2-325, 77-2-329, 77-2-363