SB125: Bill Text

LRB-0788/1

EHS:wlj

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Senate BILL 125

March 20, 2019 - Introduced by Senators Cowles, Bernier, LeMahieu, Marklein, Miller, Nass and Olsen, cosponsored by Representatives Summerfield, Kitchens, Tusler, Ballweg, James, Mursau, Novak, Pronschinske, Subeck and Thiesfeldt. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.

SB125,1,3 An Act to create 23.0917 (5g) (g) of the statutes; relating to: amounts obligated under the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 Program for water infrastructure projects in state parks and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to obligate up to $5,200,000 in unobligated moneys under the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 Program to fund critical health and safety-related water infrastructure projects and high-priority water infrastructure projects in state parks, prioritizing projects in those state parks with the highest demand.

Current law authorizes the state to incur public debt for certain conservation activities under the stewardship program, which is administered by DNR. The state may incur this debt to acquire land for the state for conservation purposes and for property development activities and may award grants or state aid to certain local governmental units and nonprofit conservation organizations to acquire land for these purposes.

The stewardship program consists of five subprograms. Current law establishes the amounts that DNR may obligate in each fiscal year through 2019-20 for expenditure under each of these subprograms. Prior to fiscal year 2011-12, if DNR did not obligate the full amount it was authorized to obligate in a fiscal year under a subprogram, DNR was required to adjust the annual bonding authority for that subprogram by raising the annual bonding authority for the next fiscal year by the amount unobligated in that given fiscal year. Beginning in fiscal year 2011-12, under current law, if DNR does not obligate an amount authorized to be obligated for a subprogram in a fiscal year, DNR may not adjust the annual bonding authority for that subprogram by raising the annual bonding authority for the next fiscal year.

Under current law, portions of the unobligated amounts for the land acquisition, property development and local assistance, and recreational boating aids subprograms from fiscal years 2011-12 to 2016-17 are obligated for specific purposes. For example, not more than $4,500,000 of the unobligated amount for these subprograms from fiscal year 2016-17 is obligated to fund critical health and safety-related water infrastructure projects and high-priority water infrastructure projects in state parks, prioritizing projects in those state parks with the highest demand. For this same purpose, the bill obligates up to $5,200,000 of the unobligated amount for these subprograms from fiscal years 2016-17 and 2017-18.

This bill increases the amount appropriated to DNR for state park operations by $300,000 in fiscal year 2018-19, with priority placed on state parks with the highest demand.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB125,1 Section 1. 23.0917 (5g) (g) of the statutes is created to read:

SB125,2,8 23.0917 (5g) (g) 2. In this paragraph, “unobligated amount" means the amount by which the annual bonding authority for the subprograms under subs. (3), (4), and (4j) in fiscal years 2016-17 and 2017-18 exceeded the amounts that the department obligated from the moneys appropriated under s. 20.866 (2) (ta) for those subprograms for those fiscal years, but not including the amount by which the annual bonding authority for the purpose under sub. (3) (br) in fiscal years 2016-17 and 2017-18 exceeded the amount obligated for that purpose in that fiscal year.

SB125,2,12 2. Of the unobligated amount, the department shall obligate an amount necessary to fund critical health and safety-related water infrastructure projects and high-priority water infrastructure projects in state parks, prioritizing projects in those state parks with the highest demand, but not more than $5,200,000.

SB125,2 Section 2 . Fiscal changes.

SB125,3,4 (1) In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of natural resources under s. 20.370 (1) (mu), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2018-19 is increased by $300,000 for state park operations, with priority placed on state parks with the highest demand.

SB125,3,5 (End)