An Act to change the criteria for a petition to vacate a highway.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:

Section 1. That § 31-3-6 be AMENDED.

31-3-6. Petition to locate, change, or vacate a highway.

Upon receiving the a petition of signed by two or more voters of an organized civil township or of the number of voters equal to or greater than one percent of the ballots cast for the last gubernatorial election in the affected county, the board of supervisors of the township or the board of county commissioners wherein the highway is located or is proposed to be located may, except as provided in §§ 31-3-12 and 31-3-44, vacate, change, or locate any highway located or to be used within the township or county, the board of supervisors, having jurisdiction, shall provide for a public hearing, as required by § 31-3-7, and after consideration of all information, opinions, and arguments presented, may, except as provided in §§ 31-3-12 and 31-3-44, vacate, change any highway, or locate a highway in the township, if the public interest will be better served by the action.

Upon receiving a petition signed by voters of the county, at least equal in number to one percent of those who cast ballots in the county during the last gubernatorial election, the board of county commissioners, having jurisdiction, shall provide for a public hearing, as required by § 31-3-7, and after consideration of all information, opinions, and arguments presented, may, except as provided in §§ 31-3-12 and 31-3-44, vacate, change any highway in the county, or locate a highway in the county, if the public interest will be better served by the action.

Upon receiving a petition signed by two thirds of the adjacent landowners or all adjacent landowners if there are fewer than three, the board of supervisors or the board of county commissioners, having jurisdiction, shall provide for a public hearing, as required by § 31-3-7, and after consideration of all information, opinions, and arguments presented, may vacate the highway, if the public interest will be better served by the proposed vacating, changing, or locating of the highway action.

The petition of the voters shall must set forth the beginning, course, and termination of the highway proposed to be located, changed, or vacated, together with the names of the owners of and, if applicable, the name of each person owning the land through which the proposed highway may pass.