Assembly Bill 315 seeks to reauthorize the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 Program until fiscal year 2029-30, while also making significant changes to its land acquisition and property development subprograms. The bill reduces the amount set aside for grants to nonprofit conservation organizations (NCOs) from $7,000,000 to $2,000,000 and specifies that the term "obligate" refers only to public debt authorized by the state. Additionally, it prioritizes property development projects over land acquisition and eliminates certain restrictions on the amount of funds that can be obligated for land acquisition, while introducing a new major land acquisitions program for projects exceeding $1,000,000.

The new major land acquisitions program will allow the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to acquire land for conservation or award grants for such purposes, provided the projects are enumerated through legislation. The bill mandates that DNR submit a list of proposed major land acquisitions annually to the joint committee on finance and relevant legislative committees. Furthermore, it establishes new grant conditions for governmental units applying for funding after closing on land acquisitions, limiting grants to 40% of acquisition costs and capping contributions from grants or in-kind sources at 30% of the remaining costs. Overall, the bill aims to enhance conservation efforts while streamlining funding processes and prioritizing wildlife habitat development.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 23.09(19)(d), 23.09, 23.09(20)(b), 23.09(20m)(b), 23.0915(2p), 23.0915, 23.0917(1)(e), 23.0917, 23.0917(3)(a), 23.0917(3)(bt)3, 23.0917(3)(bw)2, 23.0917(4)(a)