State Trust Lands Conservation & Recreation Work Group

The state board of land commissioners (state board) serves as the trustee for lands granted to the state in public trust for the support of public schools (state trust lands). The state board is responsible for the management and protection of the state trust lands, including by protecting and enhancing the natural features, open space, and wildlife habitat of the state trust lands.

The bill requires the executive director of the department of natural resources (department) to convene various appointing authorities to appoint members to a state trust lands conservation and recreation work group (work group) to study opportunities to advance conservation and recreation activities on state trust lands as part of the state board's long-term stewardship of the state trust lands while maintaining the state board's fiduciary responsibilities regarding its management of the state trust lands. On or before July 1, 2026 September 1, 2026 , the work group is required to make recommendations to the state board, the governor, the committees of the general assembly with jurisdiction over natural resources matters , and the executive director of the department of natural resources based on the study.

On or before December 15, 2026 February 15, 2027 , the state board is required to take into consideration the work group's recommendations and adopt an administrative policy or rules to establish a process and policy regarding the state board's implementation of conservation leases while balancing such conservation efforts with the requirement to generate and a process to substantiate how the state board balances revenue from the generation with conservation of state trust lands.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)