Senate Eminent Domain Bill Introduced: Wisconsin Ag Connection, 9/20/06

New legislation introduced in the [US] Senate last week would address the 2005 Kelo vs. City of New London decision at the federal level.

The bill, S. 3873, the Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2006, was introduced by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.). It would prohibit federal agencies from using eminent domain for private economic development purposes and also prohibits states that receive federal development funds from doing so as well. The bill is identical to H.R. 4128, which the House passed in November by a vote of 376-38.

The Senate is working on a tight schedule, with a recess for midterm elections scheduled to begin Oct. 6. Farm Bureau sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) requesting that he schedule a vote on the bill before the break for midterm elections.

More than 25 states have passed legislation to address various aspects of the Kelo decision, which 95 percent of Americans oppose, according to public opinion research.

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Wisconsin Ag Connection: http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com