HF1303

This bill proposes an amendment to Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.001, subdivision 4, allowing landowners to use purple paint marks as an alternative to signs for prohibiting trespassing on their property.

Key Provisions:

1. Purple Paint as No Trespassing Marking:

   • Landowners or authorized managers may apply purple paint on trees along the perimeter of an area to prohibit entrance.
   • Paint must be:
     • Applied at least three feet off the ground.
     • Painted on trees that are at least one inch wide.
     • A vertical strip that is at least eight inches tall.

2. Posting Signage at Primary Entry Points:

   • In addition to painting trees, landowners must post signs once a year at primary corners of the property.

3. Current Signage Requirements (Still Allowed):

   • No trespassing signs should:
     • Display letters at least two inches high.
     • Show the owner's or lessee's name and phone number.
     • Be spaced at intervals of 1,000 feet or less (or 500 feet in wooded areas).

4. Illegal Posting of Property:

   • Individuals cannot post no trespassing signs or purple paint on land where they do not have a legal right to restrict access.

Purpose of the Bill:

The bill provides an alternative method for landowners to clearly mark their property boundaries and restrict entry without frequent replacement of traditional signs, which may be damaged or removed.

Next Steps:

• The bill has been introduced in the Minnesota House of Representatives and referred to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy for further consideration.

This legislation aligns Minnesota with other states that have adopted "Purple Paint Laws" as an alternative, cost-effective way to mark private property for no trespassing.