Public Lands Access Restoration Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7979 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7979 To restore the presumption of access on lands managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 18, 2026 Mr. Crank (for himself and Mr. Kennedy of Utah) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To restore the presumption of access on lands managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Public Lands Access Restoration Act''. SEC. 2. RESTORATION OF HISTORIC ACCESS POLICY. (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act-- (1) a covered road or trail shall be presumed to be open to motorized access unless the Secretary concerned restricts motorized access to the covered road or trail in accordance with subsection (b); and (2) the Secretary concerned shall issue or revise regulations as necessary to implement paragraph (1). (b) Standards for Restriction.--The Secretary concerned may only restrict motorized access to a covered road or trail if-- (1) a need for the restriction is identified based on clear and convincing evidence for resource protection or public safety; and (2) the restriction is-- (A) clearly indicated with signage posted at the points on the covered road or trail at which the restriction begins and ends; (B) depicted