SB112: Bill Text

SB112,7,13 29.563 (14) (a) 4. The processing fee for applications for sandhill crane hunting permits: $4.25.

SB112,21 Section 21. 29.563 (14) (c) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB112,7,20 29.563 (14) (c) 3. Each application for a hunter’s choice permit, bonus deer hunting permit, elk hunting license, wild turkey hunting license, Class A bear license, wolf harvesting license, Canada goose hunting permit, sandhill crane hunting permit, sharp-tailed grouse hunting permit, bobcat hunting and trapping permit, otter trapping permit, fisher trapping permit, or sturgeon fishing permit: 25 cents.

SB112,22 Section 22. 29.563 (14) (c) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB112,7,23 29.563 (14) (c) 4. Each bonus deer hunting permit issued for which a fee is charged under sub. (2) (c) 1. or 1m. or (d) 1. or 2.: 75 cents.

SB112,23 Section 23. 29.596 of the statutes is created to read:

SB112,8,3 29.596 Sandhill crane hunter education program. (1) The department shall establish and conduct a sandhill crane hunter education program. The program shall provide a course of instruction that includes all of the following:

SB112,8,5 (a) History and recovery of the sandhill crane in this state and in the eastern United States.

SB112,8,6 (b) Methods used to distinguish sandhill cranes from other birds.

SB112,8,7 (c) Methods used to estimate the population of sandhill cranes in the state.

SB112,8,8 (d) Areas covered by sandhill crane hunting zones.

SB112,8,10 (e) Any rules promulgated by the department concerning the hunting of sandhill cranes.

SB112,8,17 (2) The department shall offer a test for a person to demonstrate successful completion of the course of instruction and shall issue a certificate of accomplishment for free to a person who completes the course of instruction and passes the test. A certificate of accomplishment issued under this subsection is valid for one year. At least once each year, the department shall offer the test to any person who has previously completed the course of instruction to allow the person to renew their certificate of accomplishment for one year.

SB112,8,19 (3) No person may hunt sandhill cranes unless he or she has a current, valid certificate of accomplishment issued under sub. (2).

SB112,8,24 (4) If the department maintains a system under which the department stores information in an electronic format as described under s. 23.47 (2), the department shall store information in that system relating to persons who have completed a sandhill crane hunter education program, and any associated tests, that satisfies the requirements of this section.

SB112,9,2 (5) The department may not charge a fee for the course of instruction under sub. (1) or the test under sub. (2).

SB112,24 Section 24. 29.889 (1) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB112,9,5 29.889 (1) (e) Sandhill crane, if hunting of sandhill cranes is authorized by the department subsequent to approval by the U.S. fish and wildlife service.

SB112,25 Section 25. 29.938 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB112,9,11 29.938 Use by the department of unclaimed, seized, or confiscated property. (intro.) The department may receive, retain, and use for the hunter education programs under ss. 29.591 and, 29.595, and 29.596, the trapper education program under s. 29.597, or other educational hunting, fishing, trapping, or conservation activities the department conducts any of the following property:

SB112,26 Section 26. 29.977 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB112,9,14 29.977 (1) (b) Any moose, fisher, prairie chicken, or sand hill sandhill crane, $262.50.

SB112,27 Section 27. 29.983 (1) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB112,9,17 29.983 (1) (b) 2. For any moose, fisher, prairie chicken, or sand hill sandhill crane, $262.50.

SB112,28 Section 28. 93.67 of the statutes is created to read:

SB112,9,20 93.67 Sandhill crane damage reimbursement program. (1) In this section:

SB112,9,24 (a) “Eligible applicant” means a person that plants corn on land that is operated as part of a farm that produced at least $6,000 in gross farm revenues during the taxable year preceding the year in which the person applies for reimbursement under this section.

SB112,10,2 (b) “Farm” means all land under common ownership that is primarily devoted to agricultural use.

SB112,10,4 (c) “Seed coating” means a nonlethal treatment registered for use on corn seed to discourage sandhill cranes from consuming the seed.

SB112,10,7 (2) (a) The department shall administer a program to provide reimbursements to eligible applicants for the purchase of seed coating that is applied as a seed treatment.

SB112,10,10 (b) A reimbursement under this section shall cover not more than 50 percent of the actual cost of the purchase of seed coating that is applied as a seed treatment and may not exceed $6,250 per eligible applicant per planting season.

SB112,10,15 (c) From March 1 to June 15 of each year, eligible applicants may apply to the department for reimbursement for seed coating purchased no earlier than November 1 of the prior year. Eligible applicants shall provide to the department proof of purchase and an application on a form provided by the department to be eligible to receive a reimbursement under this section.

SB112,10,17 (d) From the appropriation under s. 20.115 (7) (ac), the department shall prioritize reimbursement payments under par. (c) to all of the following:

SB112,10,19 1. Eligible applicants that received a federal depredation permit for sandhill crane in the previous year.

SB112,10,22 2. Eligible applicants that received reimbursement under this section in any of the prior 3 years or that can provide documentation of purchase of seed coating in any of the prior 3 years.

SB112,11,2 3. Eligible applicants planting corn on land vulnerable to sandhill crane depredation as determined by the department in consultation with the department of natural resources and applicable conservation organizations.

SB112,11,8 (e) After reimbursing all eligible applicants under par. (d), from the appropriation under s. 20.115 (7) (ac), the department shall make reimbursement payments to other eligible applicants that have experienced or are likely to experience seed or crop damage from sandhill cranes. The department shall make payments under this paragraph to eligible applicants in the order in which applications are received by the department.

SB112,11,11 (f) The department shall make all reimbursement payments under pars. (d) and (e) no later than September 15 of the year in which applications are made under par. (c).

SB112,11,13 (g) A farm is eligible to receive only one reimbursement payment per year under this section.

SB112,11,19 (3) The department shall compile an annual report detailing the number of reimbursements requested, the total dollar amount requested as reimbursement, the number of reimbursements issued, and the total dollar amount disbursed as reimbursement under this section. The department shall submit the report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature in the manner provided in s. 13.172 (3) no later than December 31 each year.

SB112,11,23 (4) The department may promulgate rules to establish prioritization of payments under sub. (2) (d) and (e), including identifying applicable conservation organizations under sub. (2) (d) 3. and determining whether eligible applicants have experienced or are likely to experience seed or crop damage under sub. (2) (e).

SB112,29 Section 29. Nonstatutory provisions.

SB112,12,5 (1) Federal approval of sandhill crane hunting. When the department of natural resources receives approval from the U.S. fish and wildlife service to authorize the hunting of sandhill cranes in this state, the department shall notify the legislative reference bureau. The legislative reference bureau shall publish a notice in the Wisconsin Administrative Register that specifies that date.

SB112,12,18 (2) Emergency rules. The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection may use the procedure under s. 227.24 to promulgate emergency rules under s. 93.67 (4) for the period before the date on which permanent rules under s. 93.67 (4) take effect. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (c) and (2), emergency rules promulgated under this subsection remain in effect until the first day of the 25th month beginning after the effective date of the emergency rules, the date on which the permanent rules take effect, or the effective date of the repeal of the emergency rules, whichever is earlier. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a) and (3), the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.

SB112,30 Section 30. Fiscal changes.

SB112,13,2 (1) In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under s. 20.115 (7) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2025-26 is increased by $85,000 and the dollar amount for fiscal year 2026-27 is increased by $85,000 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department by 1.0 GPR position to administer the sandhill crane damage reimbursement program under s. 93.67 and for administrative costs related to the program.

SB112,31 Section 31. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:

SB112,13,7 (1) The treatment of s. 29.563 (13) (a) and (b) takes effect on the date specified in the notice published in the Wisconsin Administrative Register under Section 29 (1) of this act.

SB112,13,10 (2) The treatment of ss. 20.005 (3), 20.115 (7) (ac), and 93.67 takes effect on the first day of the 4th month beginning after publication, or on the 2nd day after publication of the 2025 biennial budget act, whichever is later.

SB112,13,11 (end)