ID S1287

Requires counties and highway districts to convene a public hearing before acquiring property for highway or public right-of-way purposes, and to record a survey with legal description for each segment acquired from privately owned lands

Mandates demonstration that payment was made when land acquired for highways was from a privately owned parcel

Requires commissioners to verify at abandonment hearings that a road was legally designated under Section 40-202 before proceeding with abandonment and vacation

Establishes that highways or rights-of-way created by common law dedication (plat, survey, or documents not sufficiently recorded) shall be deemed abandoned if not on public land and either unused/unmaintained for 3+ years in the past 15 years, or never constructed with 20+ years elapsed since dedication

Creates a presumption that highways or rights-of-way within the county or public right-of-way system are valid, absent contrary evidence; effective July 1, 2026 as emergency legislation