E. PROTECTING & CONSERVING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES
38. Unobligated Stewardship Authority
Section 194
This section sets aside $2,500,000 in unobligated bonding authority from fiscal years 2021-22 and 2022-23 from the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 program for drilling new wells, facility maintenance, upgrades and renovations, and construction of new buildings at the Les Voigt State Fish Hatchery and the Brule State Fish Hatchery.
I am partially vetoing this section to remove the specific fiscal years and the specific projects because I object to having unobligated Stewardship bonding authority available only for earmarks at the discretion of the Legislature. Due to the Legislature’s obstruction through the Joint Committee on Finance anonymous objection process, many valuable Stewardship projects have been delayed or denied leaving unused and unobligated bonding authority at the end of each year. It is my sincere desire that we work together to fix this broken system for approval of beneficial conservation projects. This veto will allow the Department of Natural Resources to access all unobligated Stewardship bonding authority to invest in critical projects that will protect, preserve, and provide access to Wisconsin's natural resources.
39. Echo Lake Dam
These sections create a new continuing appropriation and provide $1,000,000 GPR in the 2023‑25 biennium for providing a grant to the city of Burlington for the restoration of a dam on Echo Lake.
I am partially vetoing section 51 [as it relates to s. 20.370 (4) (jc)] and vetoing section 75 in its entirety because I object to providing additional state funding for a project that already received a $1,000,000 grant under the Municipal Dam Grant Program during the 2021-23 grant period. 40. Department of Natural Resources Position Reallocations
Section 9132 (1)
This provision directs the Department of Natural Resources to reallocate 1.0 FTE existing position as a conservation warden supervisor and 2.0 FTE existing positions as conservation wardens, for the purpose of all-terrain vehicle and utility terrain vehicle law enforcement.
I am partially vetoing this provision to remove the specific number of FTE and job classifications because I object to the Legislature requiring the Department of Natural Resources to reassign a set number of existing positions to specific job classifications. This veto will allow the department to determine how to best allocate positions for conservation purposes. The department will report any reallocations to the Department of Administration and the Legislative Fiscal Bureau for inclusion in the final Chapter 20 schedule. 41. Pattison and Amnicon Falls State Parks Earmarks
Section 9132 (3)
This provision earmarks $2,161,300 SEG for development and maintenance projects at Amnicon Falls and Pattison State Parks. The provision specifies projects that the Department of Natural Resources must complete at both properties.
I am vetoing this provision because I object to limiting the department's flexibility to prioritize projects based on areas of highest need. This veto will provide the department the ability to utilize the funding for development and maintenance projects throughout the state park system.
42. Tribal Gaming Transfer
Section 144
This section increases the annual transfer of Tribal gaming revenue to the conservation fund from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000.
I am vetoing this section because I object to this additional transfer of Tribal gaming revenue to the conservation fund. I believe Tribal gaming revenue should be retained for investments in Tribal communities and that those communities should be partners in any discussion that increases the transfer to the conservation fund.
43. Steve Creek Dam
Section 76
This section creates a new continuing appropriation in the 2023-25 biennium for providing a grant to Pierce County for repairs of a dam on Steve Creek. It should be noted that there is no body of water known as Steve Creek in Pierce County; however, there is a dam on Steve Creek in Price County. It appears from the motion that was adopted by the Joint Committee on Finance that the intent of this provision was to provide Price County with a grant.
I am partially vetoing this section to eliminate the reference to Pierce County because I object to providing funding to a county for a project that is located in a different county. With this veto, I am directing the Department of Natural Resources to work with Price County to issue this grant.
44. Lake Mallalieu Dredging Grant
These sections create a new continuing appropriation and provide $2,000,000 GPR in the 2023-25 biennium for providing a grant to the Lake Mallalieu Association for dredging Lake Mallalieu.
I am partially vetoing section 51 [as it relates to s. 20.370 (4) (jf)] and partially vetoing section 78 to remove the word dredging because I object to limiting the grant recipient to spending these funds only on the physical dredging of the lake. The association will likely incur ancillary costs related to the project, such as costs related to studies and permitting, and it is my intent to allow the grant to be utilized for these costs in addition to the physical dredging of the lake. 45. Division Administrator Positions at the Department of Natural Resources
Section 430
This section reduces the number of division administrator positions in the Department of Natural Resources from ten to nine.
I am vetoing this section because I object to reducing the number of division administrators at the Department of Natural Resources. As a result of this veto, the Department of Natural Resources retains the position authority for this 1.0 FTE PR unclassified position for appointment as a division administrator that would otherwise have been eliminated as a result of the Legislature’s action.
46. Board of Commissioners of Public Lands Deputy Director Position
Section 196
This section eliminates the ability of the executive secretary of the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands to appoint a deputy director.
I am vetoing this section because I believe that the executive secretary should have the ability to appoint a deputy director if they so choose, and object to the Legislature eliminating that option. As a result of this veto, the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands retains the position authority for this 1.0 FTE GPR position for appointment as a deputy director that would otherwise have been eliminated as a result of the Legislature’s action.
F. ADDITIONAL KEY PRIORITIES
47. Tribal Grants Sunset
Sections 142, 149, 9101 (2), and 9401 (1)
These provisions create an appropriation at the Department of Administration and require the department to use it to distribute grants to federally recognized American Indian Tribes or bands in this state. The Joint Committee on Finance has reserved $11,000,000 of Tribal gaming revenues to supplement this appropriation in fiscal year 2023-24. In addition, the appropriation is repealed on July 1, 2025.
I am vetoing sections 142, 149, and 9401 (1) and partially vetoing section 9101 (2) to retain the creation of the appropriation but remove the sunset for the appropriation, because I object to ending this program. A similar grant program in the 2021-23 biennium was also funded with Tribal gaming revenues and has proven valuable to the Tribal Nations, allowing each Tribe and band to use the funding in the way it deems best to meet the needs of its members. The language of this appropriation is general and would allow grants that offer similar flexibility to be made to each Tribe and band. While this veto does not establish ongoing funding for these grants in subsequent biennia, it at least preserves the framework of this program that both the Legislature and I agree upon.
48. Legislative Human Resources Office
Section 19
This section creates the Legislative Human Resources Office and establishes duties of the office and the director. Under the language of this section, the office would “have all of the rights and privileges pertaining to human resources records as are enjoyed by executive branch agencies, including those under s. 230.13 and subchapter II of ch. 19,” which address public records. I am partially vetoing this section because I object to including unnecessary language in the statutes. If the intent of the Legislature was to treat the records of the office the same as human resources offices of executive branch agencies, this language is unnecessary and may create inconsistency in how human resources records are treated by the office. By partially vetoing this section to remove reference to the treatment of records, it will be clear that the office is simply subject to the state’s Public Records Law in the same manner as all authorities as defined under the Public Records Law, including executive branch agencies.
49. WisconsinEye
Section 20
This section creates an endowment fund for the WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network, Inc. The Joint Committee on Finance has reserved $10,000,000 in its GPR supplemental appropriation to supplement a new biennial appropriation if a request for funding is made jointly by the Department of Administration and WisconsinEye. As a condition of receiving the payment, WisconsinEye must raise a match of at least an equal amount of nonstate funding sources for the endowment fund. If WisconsinEye ever ceases operation, it shall pay back the state's investment. Finally, it is also prohibited from charging any fee for access to recorded content of public meetings.
I am partially vetoing this section to expand the prohibition on charging fees for WisconsinEye content because I object to any fees being charged, given the significant contribution of state resources. It is important that the public have free access to all WisconsinEye content in order to ensure full transparency of legislative and other public proceedings.
50. Promotion of the U.S.S. Wisconsin Columbia-Class Submarine
Section 9148 (2)
This provision allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to issue a one-time grant of $16,540 from Veterans Museum base resources to a private nonprofit organization to promote and support recognition of the Columbia-class submarine to be known as the U.S.S. Wisconsin.
I am vetoing this provision because I object to the Legislature asking the Veterans Museum to prioritize this grant above other funding needs like museum operations or planning for the museum's future. If the Legislature believes this grant is a priority, it should have provided separate funding to accomplish it.
51. Restore an Appropriation for Agency Operations
Section 54
This section repeals a PR-S appropriation from the Supervision of the Insurance Industry program within the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, which receives money from other state agencies and money received by the office from the office for general program operations.
I am vetoing this section because I object to removing the agency’s ability to receive funds from other agencies and itself, which would result in limiting the office’s ability to carry out its administrative duties.
_____________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
July 5, 2023
The Honorable, the Senate:
This letter is to remove the following appointment from consideration for confirmation by the Wisconsin Senate:
hist170630PUMPHREY, DR KHYANA of Glendale, as a Public Member on the Board on Aging and Long Term Care, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2027. Respectfully Submitted,
TONY EVERS
Governor
_____________
State of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Ethics Commission
July 5, 2023
The Honorable, the Senate:
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. §13.685 (7), we are providing the enclosed information. Please visit the Wisconsin Ethics Commission’s Eye on Lobbying website, https://lobbying.wi.gov, for more detailed information about lobbyists, lobbying principals (organizations), and state agency liaisons. Cruz, Annette Curriculum Associates
Halbach, Nathan Curriculum Associates
Horn, Melissa Arthritis Foundation
LaPolice, P. Alan American Promise
Merrifield, Layla Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association Inc
Rogowski, Michael Curriculum Associates
Sincerely,
DANIEL A. CARLTON, JR.
Administrator
_____________
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. 13.172 (2) and (3), attached is the list of agency reports received from executive branch and legislative service agencies for the month of June, 2023.
Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board
Biennial Program Evaluation Report
Pursuant to 48.982 (7)(h), Wis. Stats.
