I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 894 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to provide for clear title to certain 

land in Louisiana, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 30, 2019 

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to provide for clear 

title to certain land in Louisiana, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lake Bistineau Land 

5 Title Stability Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. LAKE BISTINEAU LAND TITLE STABILITY. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 (1) CLAIMANT.—The term ‘‘claimant’’ means 

9 any individual, group, or corporation authorized to 

10 hold title to land or mineral interests in land in the 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 894 IH

1 State of Louisiana with a valid claim to the omitted 

2 land, including any mineral interests. 

3 (2) MAP.—The term ‘‘Map’’ means the map en4 titled ‘‘Lands as Delineated by Original Survey De5 cember 18, 1842 showing the 1969 Meander Line at 

6 the 148.6 Elevation Line’’ and dated January 30, 

7 2018. 

8 (3) OMITTED LAND.— 

9 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘omitted 

10 land’’ means the land in lots 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 

11 12, and 13 of sec. 30, T. 16 N., R. 10 W., Lou12 isiana Meridian, comprising a total of approxi13 mately 229.72 acres, as depicted on the Map, 

14 that— 

15 (i) was in place during the Original 

16 Survey; but 

17 (ii) was not included in the Original 

18 Survey. 

19 (B) INCLUSION.—The term ‘‘omitted land’’ 

20 includes— 

21 (i) Peggy’s Island in lot 1 of sec. 17, 

22 T. 16 N., R. 10 W., Louisiana Meridian; 

23 and 

24 (ii) Hog Island in lot 1 of sec. 29, T. 

25 16 N., R. 10 W., Louisiana Meridian. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 894 IH

1 (4) ORIGINAL SURVEY.—The term ‘‘Original 

2 Survey’’ means the survey of land surrounding Lake 

3 Bistineau, Louisiana, conducted by the General 

4 Land Office in 1838 and approved by the Surveyor 

5 General on December 8, 1842. 

6 (b) CONVEYANCES.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Consistent with the first sec8 tion of the Act of December 22, 1928 (commonly 

9 known as the ‘‘Color of Title Act’’) (45 Stat. 1069, 

10 chapter 47; 43 U.S.C. 1068), except as provided by 

11 this section, the Secretary shall convey to the claim12 ant the omitted land, including any mineral inter13 ests, that has been held in good faith and in peace14 ful, adverse possession by a claimant or an ancestor 

15 or grantor of the claimant, under claim or color of 

16 title, based on the Original Survey. 

17 (2) CONFIRMATION OF TITLE.—The conveyance 

18 or patent of omitted land to a claimant under para19 graph (1) shall have the effect of confirming title to 

20 the surface and minerals in the claimant and shall 

21 not serve as any admission by a claimant. 

22 (c) PAYMENT OF COSTS.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para24 graph (2), the conveyance required under subsection 

25 (b) shall be without consideration. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 894 IH

1 (2) EXCEPTION.—Before the conveyance of the 

2 omitted land under subsection (b), from any funds 

3 appropriated to the State of Louisiana by the Lou4 isiana Legislature, the State of Louisiana shall pay 

5 to the Secretary any costs incurred by the Secretary 

6 relating to any survey, platting, legal description, or 

7 associated activities required to prepare and issue a 

8 patent under that subsection. 

9 (d) MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.—As soon as 

10 practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the 

11 Secretary shall file, and make available for public inspec12 tion in the appropriate offices of the Bureau of Land and 

13 Management, the Map and legal descriptions of the omit14 ted land to be conveyed under subsection (b). 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS