Debate will continue next week on legislation that attempts to create a compromise for public access to water. Senate Bill 169 deals with private property rights, and the public’s right to water access. The measure opens large lakes on private lands to the public, but denies public access when the lake is smaller than 40 acres. Supporters of the bill say it’s difficult to come to total agreement on this issue. Senator Jason Frerichs says legislators need to keep the constituents who are affected at the forefront of the issue.
“As much as many of us want to get this behind us, we also have to realize the significance because from my standpoint, we have to be accountable to the landowners that are directly affected the most. Sure, right away some of you might think, and I have those members in my district, I have those members that we all feel, those constituencies that we want to work for and represent that may choose more on the sportsmen perspective. But in the end, the individual landowners are affected the most,” Frerichs says.
Frerichs proposed an amendment that deals with vacated roads. His amendment wasn’t acted on, rather the State Senate postponed further action on the bill until Tuesday.