1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to natural resources; modifying trespass law to allow purple markings;
1.3 amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.001, subdivisions 4, 5, by adding
1.4 a subdivision.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.001, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.7to read:
1.8 Subd. 1b.Forest land definition.For the purposes of this section, "forest land" means
1.9land:
1.10 (1) with at least ten percent cover by trees that will be at least 13 feet tall at maturity;
1.11and
1.12 (2) that shows evidence of natural tree regeneration.
1.13 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.001, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
1.14 Subd. 4.Entering posted or marked land prohibited; signs.(a) Except as provided
1.15in subdivision 6, a person may not:
1.16 (1) enter, for outdoor recreation purposes, any land that is posted or marked under this
1.17subdivision without first obtaining permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee; or
1.18 (2) knowingly enter, for outdoor recreation purposes, any land that is posted or marked
1.19under this subdivision without first obtaining permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee.
1.20A person who violates this clause is subject to the penalty provided in section 97A.315,
1.21subdivision 1, paragraph (b).
1Sec. 2.
REVISOR CKM H0944-1HF944 FIRST ENGROSSMENT
35
Printed
Page No.State of Minnesota
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 944
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Gillman; Torkelson; Anderson, P. H.; Heintzeman and McDonald02/17/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy
Adoption of Report: Placed on the General Register as Amended03/03/2025
Read for the Second Time 2.1 (b) The owner, occupant, or lessee of private land, or an authorized manager of public
2.2land may prohibit outdoor recreation on the land by:
2.3 (1) posting signs once each year that:
2.4 (1) (i) state "no trespassing" or similar terms;
2.5 (2) (ii) display letters at least two inches high;
2.6 (3) (iii) either:
2.7 (i) (A) are signed by the owner, occupant, lessee, or authorized manager; or
2.8 (ii) (B) include the legible name and telephone number of the owner, occupant, lessee,
2.9or authorized manager; and
2.10 (4) (iv) either:
2.11 (i) (A) are at intervals of 1,000 feet or less along the boundary of the area, or in a wooded
2.12area where boundary lines are not clear, at intervals of 500 feet or less; or
2.13 (ii) (B) mark the primary corners of each parcel of land and access roads and trails at
2.14the point of entrance to each parcel of land except that corners only accessible through
2.15agricultural land need not be posted.; or
2.16 (2) posting signs that meet the requirements under clause (1), items (i) to (iii), once each
2.17year at access roads and trails at the point of entrance to the area to which the person wants
2.18to prohibit entrance, and placing identifying purple paint marks on trees, posts, or other
2.19immovable, permanent objects on the property, provided that the marks are:
2.20 (i) vertical lines of not less than eight inches in length and not less than one inch in
2.21width;
2.22 (ii) placed so that the bottom of the mark is not less than three feet from the ground or
2.23more than five feet from the ground; and
2.24 (iii) placed at locations that are readily visible to any person approaching the property
2.25and no more than:
2.26 (A) 100 feet apart on forest land; or
2.27 (B) 1,000 feet apart on land other than forest land.
2.28 (c) A person may not erect a sign or place marks that prohibits prohibit outdoor recreation
2.29or trespassing where the person does not have a property right, title, or interest to use the
2.30land.
2Sec. 2.
REVISOR CKM H0944-1HF944 FIRST ENGROSSMENT 3.1 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.001, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
3.2 Subd. 5.Retrieving wounded game.Except as provided in subdivision 3, a person on
3.3foot may, without permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee, enter land that is not posted
3.4or marked under subdivision 4, to retrieve a wounded animal that was lawfully shot. The
3.5hunter must leave the land immediately after retrieving the wounded game.
3.6 Sec. 4. REVISOR INSTRUCTION.
3.7 The revisor of statutes must renumber Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.001, subdivision
3.81a, as Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.001, subdivision 1c.
3Sec. 4.
REVISOR CKM H0944-1HF944 FIRST ENGROSSMENT