Assembly Bill 694 seeks to amend existing statutes regarding the condemnation authority for recreational trails in Wisconsin. The bill allows entities such as county boards, village boards, and the Department of Transportation to utilize condemnation powers to acquire land or interests in land specifically for the establishment or extension of recreational trails, bicycle ways, or pedestrian ways. This represents a significant change from current law, which prohibits the use of condemnation for these purposes. The bill repeals several sections of existing law that restrict this authority and amends various statutes to reflect the new provisions.

Key amendments include the removal of language that previously restricted the use of condemnation for establishing or extending recreational trails and related infrastructure. For instance, the bill deletes prohibitions in sections 27.01, 27.05, and 59.52 that prevented condemnation for these purposes. Additionally, it renumbers and amends sections related to the acquisition of property for public purposes, ensuring that the new authority is clearly defined. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the development of recreational infrastructure by expanding the powers of local governments and state agencies to acquire necessary land through condemnation.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 23.09(2)(d)(intro.), 23.09, 27.01(2)(a), 27.01, 27.019(10), 27.019, 27.05(3), 27.05, 27.065(1)(a), 27.065, 27.08(2)(b), 27.08, 27.08(2)(c), 32.015, 32.51(1)(intro.), 32.51, 59.52(6)(a), 59.52, 60.782(2)(d), 60.782, 61.34(3)(b), 61.34, 62.22(1)(b), 62.22, 62.23(17)(a)(intro.), 62.23, 62.23(17)(am), 85.09(2)(a), 85.09, 990.01(2), 990.01