Senate Bill 158 proposes amendments to the eligibility criteria for county forest administration grants, retroactive to January 1, 2025. The bill allows counties with designated county forest lands to receive grants from the Department of Natural Resources to cover 50 percent of the salary and fringe benefits of a county forest administrator. The definition of a county forest administrator is established, excluding individuals employed by the department, and includes those with specific educational qualifications and experience in managing a county forest program.

The bill renumbers and amends existing legal language, specifically changing the reference from "professional forester in the position of" to "county forest administrator," and clarifies that the grants can fund up to 50 percent of the county forest administrator's salary and fringe benefits, with the latter capped at 40 percent of the salary. Additionally, it creates a new section defining the qualifications required for a county forest administrator, which includes various degrees in forestry or related fields along with relevant experience.