HF 1035

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; exempting certain exchanged land from the
tax-forfeited land assurance fee; authorizing certain leases of tax-forfeited lands
in Itasca County; amending Laws 2006, chapter 236, article 1, section 21.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Laws 2006, chapter 236, article 1, section 21, is amended to read:

Sec. 21. EXCHANGE OF TAX-FORFEITED LAND; PRIVATE SALE;
ITASCA COUNTY.

(a) For the purpose of a land exchange for use in connection with a proposed
steel mill in Itasca County referenced in Laws 1999, chapter 240, article 1, section 8,
subdivision 3, title examination and approval of the land described in paragraph (b)
shall be undertaken as a condition of exchange of the land for class B land, and shall be
governed by Minnesota Statutes, section 94.344, subdivisions 9 and 10, and the provisions
of this section. Notwithstanding the evidence of title requirements in Minnesota Statutes,
section 94.344, subdivisions 9 and 10, the county attorney shall examine one or more title
reports or title insurance commitments prepared or underwritten by a title insurer licensed
to conduct title insurance business in this state, regardless of whether abstracts were
created or updated in the preparation of the title reports or commitments. The opinion of
the county attorney, and approval by the attorney general, shall be based on those title
reports or commitments.

(b) The land subject to this section is located in Itasca County and is described as:

(1) Sections 3, 4, 7, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 28, and 29, Township
56 North, Range 22 West;

(2) Sections 3, 4, 9, 10, 13, and 14, Township 56 North, Range 23 West;

(3) Section 30, Township 57 North, Range 22 West; and

(4) Sections 25, 26, 34, 35, and 36, Township 57 North, Range 23 West.

(c) Riparian land given in exchange by Itasca County for the purpose of the steel
mill referenced in paragraph (a), is exempt from the restrictions imposed by Minnesota
Statutes, section 94.342, subdivision 3.

(d) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections 92.45 and 282.018, subdivision 1,
and the public sale provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282, Itasca County may sell,
by private sale, any land received in exchange for the purpose of the steel mill referenced
in paragraph (a), under the remaining provisions of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 282. The
sale must be in a form approved by the attorney general.

new text begin (e) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 284.28, subdivision 8, or any other
law to the contrary, land acquired through an exchange under this section is exempt from
payment of three percent of the sales price required to be collected by the county auditor
at the time of sale for deposit in the state treasury.
new text end

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 2. new text begin TAX-FORFEITED LANDS LEASE; ITASCA COUNTY.
new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 282.04, or other law to the contrary,
the Itasca County auditor may lease tax-forfeited land to Minnesota Steel for a period of
20 years, for use as a tailings basin and buffer area. A lease entered under this section
is renewable.
new text end