March 27, 2025 - Introduced by Senators Quinn, Stafsholt, James, Marklein and Tomczyk, cosponsored by Representatives Green, Armstrong, Behnke, Callahan, Hysell, B. Jacobson, Krug, Miresse, Mursau, Palmeri, Piwowarczyk, Stroud, Summerfield, Swearingen, Tittl, Tucker, VanderMeer and Wichgers. Referred to Committee on Insurance, Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry.
SB158,1,2
1An Act to renumber and amend 28.11 (5m) (a); to create 28.11 (5m) (ad) 1. of 2the statutes; relating to: county forest administration grant eligibility. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes a change, retroactive to January 1, 2025, to eligibility for a county forest administration grant.
Current law authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to make grants to counties that have lands designated as county forest to fund 50 percent of the salary and fringe benefits of a professional forester in the position of county forest administrator or assistant county forest administrator (county forest administration grant program). Under the bill, the grants may be used to fund 50 percent of the salary and fringe benefits of a county forest administrator. The bill defines “county forest administrator” as a person, excluding a person employed by the department, who is employed to manage a county forest program and who has any of the following qualifications:
1. A bachelor’s or higher degree in forestry from a school of forestry with a curriculum accredited by the Society of American Foresters or an equivalent degree, as determined by the chief state forester.
2. A bachelor’s or higher degree in natural resources, conservation, or wildlife and three or more years of experience managing a county forest program.
3. An associate degree in forestry and three or more years of experience managing a county forest program.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB158,1
1Section 1. 28.11 (5m) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 28.11 (5m) (a) 2. and 2amended to read: SB158,2,6328.11 (5m) (a) 2. The department may make grants, from the appropriation 4under s. 20.370 (5) (bw), to counties having lands entered under sub. (4) to fund all 5of the following for one professional forester in the position of county forest 6administrator or assistant county forest administrator: SB158,2,77a. Up to 50 percent of the forester’s county forest administrator’s salary. SB158,2,108b. Up to 50 percent of the forester’s county forest administrator’s fringe 9benefits, except that the fringe benefits may not exceed 40 percent of the forester’s 10county forest administrator’s salary. SB158,211Section 2. 28.11 (5m) (a) 1. of the statutes is created to read: SB158,2,151228.11 (5m) (a) 1. In this paragraph, “county forest administrator” means an 13individual who is employed to manage a county forest program under s. 28.10 and 14this section and who has any of the following qualifications, except that it does not 15include an individual who is employed by the department: SB158,2,1816a. A bachelor’s or higher degree in forestry from a school of forestry with a 17curriculum accredited by the Society of American Foresters or an equivalent 18degree, as determined by the chief state forester. SB158,3,219b. A bachelor’s or higher degree in natural resources, conservation, or wildlife
1and 3 or more years of experience managing a county forest program under s. 28.10 2and this section. SB158,3,43c. An associate degree in forestry and 3 or more years of experience managing 4a county forest program under s. 28.10 and this section. SB158,35Section 3. Initial applicability. SB158,3,76(1) This act first applies to an application for a grant under s. 28.11 (5m) (a) 2. 7submitted on the effective date of this subsection. SB158,3,99(1) This act takes effect retroactive to January 1, 2025.
