Senate Bill 316 aims 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 allocated for grants to nonprofit conservation organizations (NCOs) from $7 million to $2 million 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 funding allocations, while introducing a new major land acquisitions program for projects exceeding $1 million.

The new major land acquisitions program allows 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, detailing estimated costs and funding sources. Furthermore, it establishes new grant conditions, including limits on the percentage of costs that can be covered by grants or in-kind contributions, and prioritizes wildlife habitat grants over land acquisition grants. Overall, the bill seeks to enhance conservation efforts while streamlining funding processes and project prioritization.

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)