Senate Bill 685 aims to reauthorize the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 Program until fiscal year 2029-30 while implementing significant changes to its funding structure. The bill reduces the annual obligation limits for various subprograms under the stewardship program, including a decrease from $16 million to $3 million for land acquisition and from $14.25 million to $7.25 million for property development and local assistance. Additionally, it ends the annual transfers from the forestry account to the capital improvement fund (CIF) and replaces them with direct appropriations from the conservation fund, allocating $3 million for Department of Natural Resources (DNR) land acquisitions and $1 million for county forest grants. New appropriations are also created to fund property development and local assistance grants, as well as grants to nonprofit conservation organizations for land acquisition and habitat restoration.

The bill establishes a major land acquisitions program, allowing the state to contract public debt for this purpose. It creates new appropriations from the CIF for both the stewardship program and the major land acquisitions program, with specific limits on the amounts that can be obligated in future fiscal years. The bill also modifies existing statutes to clarify the funding sources and purposes for various grants and appropriations related to land acquisition and development, ensuring that funds are used specifically for nature-based outdoor recreation. Overall, Senate Bill 685 seeks to streamline funding for conservation efforts while ensuring continued support for land acquisition and development initiatives in Wisconsin.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 18.08(1)(a)(intro.), 18.08, 20.370(5)(hr), 20.370, 20.370(7)(aa), 20.866(2)(ta), 20.866, 23.09(19)(cg), 23.09, 23.09(20)(am), 23.09(20m)(b), 23.0953(2)(b), 23.0953