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HD 1923

An Act preserving public trust rights in land affected by ocean erosion

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Sean Garballey

This bill preserves public access to land affected by coastal erosion, compensates impacted private landowners, and requires climate resilience planning.

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Bill Summary · HD 1923

HD 1923: An Act preserving public trust rights in land affected by ocean erosion

Summary

This proposed bill aims to address the challenges posed by rising sea levels and coastal erosion, and ensure the preservation of public access and use of land affected by these environmental changes.

Key Provisions

The main elements of the bill include:

  1. Definition of "public trust land": The bill defines "public trust land" as any land that has been submerged or eroded due to rising sea levels or coastal erosion, but was previously considered public property or subject to public access rights.

  2. Preservation of public access and use: The bill stipulates that public trust land, even if it has transitioned to private ownership due to erosion, must remain open and accessible for public use, such as for recreation, fishing, and other traditional public trust purposes.

  3. Landowner compensation: The bill outlines a process for the state to compensate private landowners whose property has been affected by the public trust designation of their eroded land. Compensation would be based on the fair market value of the affected portion of the property.

  4. Coastal resilience planning: The bill requires the state's coastal planning agency to develop strategies and programs to help communities adapt to sea level rise and coastal erosion, in order to minimize future loss of public trust land.

Impact and Timeline

If passed, this bill would have significant implications for coastal property owners, as well as state and local governments responsible for managing public trust resources. It aims to preserve public access and use of land that has been impacted by the effects of climate change, while also providing a mechanism for compensating affected private landowners.

The bill was introduced in the state legislature on November 29, 2025 and is currently under consideration by the relevant committee. If enacted, the key provisions of the bill would go into effect 12 months after the date of passage.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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