1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to natural resources; authorizing a drainage 
  1.3             authority to compensate landowners for the removal of 
  1.4             a bridge; amending Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 
  1.5             103E.701, by adding a subdivision. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 103E.701, is 
  1.8   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 5a.  [COMPENSATION TO LANDOWNERS INSTEAD OF BRIDGE 
  1.10  REPAIR.] In a repair proceeding under sections 103E.701 to 
  1.11  103E.745, if the drainage authority finds that repairs to a 
  1.12  private bridge are more expensive than compensation to 
  1.13  landowners for permanent removal of the bridge, the drainage 
  1.14  authority may order an amount of compensation to be paid to all 
  1.15  landowners directly benefiting from the bridge, provided that: 
  1.16     (1) all landowners directly benefiting from the bridge 
  1.17  provide written consent for permanent removal of the bridge; 
  1.18     (2) all landowners directly benefiting from the bridge 
  1.19  agree in writing to permanently waive any right to repair or 
  1.20  reconstruction of the bridge; and 
  1.21     (3) the compensation and cost of removing the bridge is 
  1.22  less than the cost of repair of the bridge. 
  1.23     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  1.24     This act is effective the day following final enactment.