72-5-201. Purpose statement. (1) (a) The Legislature recognizes that highways provide tangible benefits to private andpublic lands of the state by providing access, allowing development, and facilitating production ofincome.
(b) Many of those highways traverse state lands, including lands held by the state in trustfor the school children and public institutions of the state.
(c) Many of the existing highways have been previously established without an officialgrant of an easement or right of entry from this state, yet these highways often are the only accessto private and public lands of the state.
(2) The Legislature intends to establish a means for ensuring continued access to theprivate and public lands of the state for the good of the people, while fulfilling its fiduciaryresponsibilities toward the schoolchildren by protecting their trust holdings against loss.
Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 270, 1998 General Session