SB120 (2005) Detail

Relative to the purchase of rail properties.


CHAPTER 88

SB 120 – FINAL VERSION

03/17/05 0562s

2005 SESSION

05-1015

06/10

SENATE BILL 120

AN ACT relative to the purchase of rail properties.

SPONSORS: Sen. Morse, Dist 22; Sen. Gallus, Dist 1; Sen. Letourneau, Dist 19; Rep. Rausch, Rock 5; Rep. Belanger, Rock 4

COMMITTEE: Transportation and Interstate Cooperation

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill requires the commissioner of transportation to notify the governor and council when accepting an offer to purchase railway property and requires the governor and council to act on the acceptance within 90 days of notification.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/17/05 0562s

05-1015

06/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Five

AN ACT relative to the purchase of rail properties.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

88:1 Purchase Price for Rail Properties; Time Limits. Amend RSA 228:60-b, I and II to read as follows:

I. All rail properties within the state offered for sale by any railway corporation after July 1, 1990, shall be offered for sale in writing to the commissioner in the first instance. In no event shall a railroad corporation offer to sell or otherwise dispose of rail properties to any person or entity on terms or conditions more favorable than those offered to the state. The state of New Hampshire acting through the commissioner shall notify such railroad corporation in writing of its acceptance or rejection of an offer within 90 calendar days of receipt of such offer. When the commissioner accepts an offer, he or she shall promptly notify the governor and the governor’s council.

II. When the governor receives notice of the commissioner’s acceptance of an offer to purchase rail property, he or she shall schedule the offer for consideration by the council within 90 days of the date on the notice. The state of New Hampshire, acting through the commissioner with the approval of governor and council, may match any verifiable bona fide offer made for any rail properties within the limits of funds available to the commissioner for this purpose. In the event that the property offered for sale to the commissioner is to be purchased for other transportation purposes, including recreational trails, funds for such purchase shall be identified and provided by the state agency or political subdivision requesting the commissioner to acquire the property. The state or a political subdivision thereof shall retain title to all land purchased under the right of first refusal. Cooperative use and management agreements with state agencies or political subdivisions providing acquisition funds shall be executed for parcels acquired with other than department of transportation funds. In the event that all or any part of the parcel so acquired is needed for transportation of goods or services of any kind or for any other purpose deemed necessary by the commissioner, the contributing entity shall be entitled to a refund of contribution or replacement land as determined by RSA 4:40. Any such right of first refusal shall be offered in writing to the commissioner who shall notify such railroad corporation in writing of acceptance or rejection of such an offer within 90 calendar days of receipt of such offer.

88:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

(Approved: June 7, 2005)

(Effective Date: August 6, 2005)