A. The Constitutional, statutory and common law relating to public easements in the State;

B. The legal characteristics of public easements, including the rights, responsibilities and burdens of various parties with respect to a public easement. Parties include owners of property that borders the public easement, municipalities, frequent users of the public easement and the public in general;

C. The history of how public easements have been created in particular circumstances and whether public easements have been illegally created;

D. Methods of resolving problems created by inadequate public maintenance of public easements and methods of compensating persons who have maintained public easements at their own expense in the past; and

E. The need for changes in state law to provide fairness for all parties in the creation, maintenance and use of public easements.

5. Upon approval of the Legislative Council, the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis shall provide necessary staffing services to the committee.

6. Legislative members are entitled to receive the legislative per diem and reimbursement of necessary expenses for attendance at authorized meetings of the committee. Public members who are not otherwise compensated by their employers or otherwise are entitled to receive reimbursement of necessary expenses and a per diem equal to the legislative per diem for attendance at authorized meetings of the committee.

7. The committee shall submit a report together with any recommended legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 119th Legislature no later than December 1, 1999. If the committee requires a limited extension of time to conclude its study and make its report, it may apply to the Legislative Council, which may grant the extension.

8. The chairs of the committee, with assistance from staff, shall administer the study budget. Within 10 days after its first meeting, the committee shall present a work plan and proposed budget to the Legislative Council for approval. The committee may not incur expenses that would result in the study group exceeding its approved budget. Upon request from the