Sec 37-284. Conflicting short-term lease applications; preference rights

A. A conflicting application for an existing lease for a term of not more than ten years shall be filed at least two hundred seventy days but not more than one year before the expiration date on the lease. The conflicting application must be accompanied by a list of nonremovable improvements on the leased lands on file with the department, including fences. The conflicting applicant must post a surety bond or other form of security in the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars or twenty per cent of the rental payments over the term of the current lease, whichever is greater. The department shall calculate the amount of the security within thirty days after receiving the conflicting application, and the conflicting applicant must post the security within thirty days after the department determines the amount. If the conflicting applicant is unsuccessful or withdraws the application, the department shall return the security to the applicant. If the conflicting applicant is successful, the security shall be applied against the value of the nonremovable improvements.

B. When the department receives a conflicting application, the department shall give the existing lessee thirty days' notice to file an application for renewal pursuant to this section.

C. If two or more applicants apply to lease the same land for a term of not more than ten years, the department shall approve the application of the one who, after investigation or hearing, appears to have the best right and equity to the lease. The order of filing shall not be a controlling factor in deciding who is entitled to the lease. If it appears that none of the applicants has any right or equities superior to those of another that would outweigh an offer of additional rent, and if it is in the best interest of the trust, the department, at a stated time and after due notice to all applicants, may receive bids submitted in accordance with rules of the department. If one of the competing applicants is the existing lessee who has a preferred right of renewal pursuant to section 37-291, the department shall extend the preferred right of renewal to the existing lessee if the existing lessee offers a bid matching the highest bid. The department shall approve the application of the bidder who in all respects is eligible to receive a lease upon the land and will pay the highest annual rental, or the department may reject all bids.

D. Before the department issues a lease to the successful bidder, the successful bidder shall pay one full year of rent and, unless all parties agree to an extended payment schedule, the appraised value of any nonremovable improvements pursuant to section 37-322.01. If the successful bidder does not pay one full year of rent or the value of any nonremovable improvements within thirty days after the department requests payment, the department may offer the lease to the next best bidder. A lease that is issued pursuant to this section shall require the lessee to pay annual rent that is equal to the amount of annual rent bid, unless a reappraisal or rental adjustment requires a higher amount.

E. Any person residing upon contiguous land for which the person has an allowed United States homestead entry or for which the person has received a patent from the United States upon a homestead entry, upon application, shall have a preferred right to lease the amount of contiguous state land necessary for personal use.

F. Any person lawfully occupying any lands, the title to which is acquired by the state by operation of law, shall have a preference right to lease the occupied land provided application to do so is made within thirty days from and after written notice by the department to such occupant of the acquisition of title.