North Dakota law says property owners may sign away their land-use rights for only 99 years at a time.

On Wednesday, the state Senate refused to allow sales of permanent land easements.

Grand Forks Sen. Connie Triplett says a new federal initiative offers benefits to property owners who are willing to sell permanent easements.

Under an easement, the landowner keeps the property but agrees to give someone else the right to use it or put restrictions on its use.

Triplett says if the Legislature is going to ban permanent easements, lawmakers should also prevent the selling of used cars.

Hazen Sen. Randy Christmann supports the easement restriction. He says a used-car problem can be fixed, but once a permanent easement is granted, control of the land is gone.

The bill is SB2246.

-Associated Press