HB14-1217 Summary

• Clarifies county authority to own, purchase, and hold real and personal property including oil, gas, mineral, and other property interests for revenue generation and government operations.

• Authorizes counties to lease mineral rights (including oil and gas) for exploration, development, and production purposes without time limits, and validates all leases entered into prior to January 1, 2014.

• Expands county authority to lease real estate and other interests for revenue generation purposes and allows boards of county commissioners to approve lease terms and conditions.

• Modifies public property dedication statutes to include counties and city and counties alongside cities and towns, and clarifies that acquiring governments own fee simple mineral rights under dedicated road strips.

• Specifies that counties automatically acquire subsurface support rights when acquiring land for road, transit, or mass transit purposes, while removing restrictions on acquiring mineral resources through condemnation.