SB 148 - Under current law, the General Assembly must authorize the Governor to convey state property, except when the Governor is conveying an easement to a rural electric cooperative, municipal corporation, public utility except a railroad, or quasi-governmental corporation owning or operating a public utility. The Governor, with the approval of the Board of Public Buildings, may convey such easements upon the request of any state agency, board, or commission. This act provides that the Governor may authorize such easements without the authorization of the General Assembly for any purpose to any political subdivision of the state or to provide utility service or access to state property, or for the construction, relocation, or use of any common element of a condominium property when the state is a unit owner in the property. Under current law, such easements include the right of ingress or egress for constructing, maintaining, or removing any pipeline, power line, sewer, or similar public utility installation or equipment. This act provides that the right of access is also included and adds streets, roadways, sidewalks, public rights-of-way, thoroughfares, gas, water, steam, and telephone lines, and internet cable to the list of things that may be constructed, maintained, or removed under the rights granted by the easement.
This act is similar to HB 538 (2017), HB 567 (2017), a provision of CCS/HCS/SCS/SB 421 (2017), and a provision of HCS/SB 488 (2017), and is identical to SB 722 (2016), SB 253 (2015), HCS/SB 369 (2015), HB 632 (2015), and a provision of HB 1792 (2014).
JOHN GRANA