Senate Bill 690 proposes significant changes to the condemnation authority for establishing and extending recreational trails, bicycle ways, and pedestrian ways 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 for these purposes, which is currently prohibited under existing law. The bill repeals several statutes that restrict the use of condemnation for recreational trail development and amends others to remove similar prohibitions. Notably, it repeals section 32.015 and modifies sections 23.09, 27.01, 27.019, 27.05, 27.065, 27.08, 59.52, 60.782, 61.34, 62.22, and 62.23 to reflect these changes.

The amendments include the removal of language that previously restricted the use of condemnation for recreational purposes, thereby broadening the scope of land acquisition for public use. For instance, the bill renumbers and amends sections related to the acquisition of land for parks and recreational purposes, allowing for condemnation with appropriate approvals. The bill aims to facilitate the development of recreational infrastructure by enabling local governments and state agencies to acquire necessary land more effectively, thereby promoting public access to recreational trails and enhancing community connectivity.

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