Assembly Bill 181 proposes amendments to the eligibility criteria for county forest administration grants, retroactively effective from 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 specific educational and experiential qualifications such as a bachelor's degree in forestry or natural resources, or an associate degree in forestry combined with relevant experience.

The bill renumbers and amends existing legal language, specifically changing the reference from "professional forester in the position of" to simply "county forest administrator." It also clarifies that the grants can fund up to 50 percent of the county forest administrator's salary and fringe benefits, with a cap on fringe benefits not exceeding 40 percent of the salary. This legislative change aims to enhance the management of county forest programs by ensuring qualified personnel are in place to oversee these initiatives.