SB723: Bill Text

LRB-5275/1

MCP:cjs&amn

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Senate BILL 723

January 24, 2020 - Introduced by Senators Testin, Jacque, Olsen, Petrowski and Wanggaard, cosponsored by Representatives Novak, Brooks, Felzkowski, Hebl, Kitchens, Krug, Kurtz, Pope, Shankland, Summerfield, Tranel, Anderson, Ballweg, Billings, Cabrera, Considine, Edming, Emerson, Gruszynski, Knodl, Kulp, Magnafici, Milroy, Mursau, Neubauer, Ohnstad, Oldenburg, Petryk, Plumer, Sargent, Sinicki, Spreitzer, Steffen, Subeck, Swearingen, Tauchen, C. Taylor, Tittl, Tusler, Vining, Vruwink, Zamarripa, Zimmerman, Born and Spiros. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.

SB723,1,2 An Act to create 92.14 (3) (a) 4m. of the statutes; relating to: county conservation staffing and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill increases the amount appropriated to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection for county conservation staffing under the soil and water resource management program by $2,960,900 from the general fund in fiscal year 2020-21. The bill provides that, in fiscal year 2020-21, DATCP may not make a grant for county conservation staffing unless the county receiving the grant agrees to maintain the number of its conservation staff at or above the average number of such positions during the two fiscal years preceding August 1, 2020. The bill also provides that county conservation staff funded through this program may promote, and assist people in enrolling in, the conservation reserve enhancement program, which is a joint federal and state program that pays farmers to remove from production land that is environmentally sensitive and that poses a high priority conservation concern and to plant resource conserving plant species on that land.

For further information see the state and local 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:

SB723,1 Section 1 . 92.14 (3) (a) 4m. of the statutes is created to read:

SB723,2,2 92.14 (3) (a) 4m. Promoting and assisting with enrollment in the conservation reserve enhancement program.

SB723,2 Section 2 . Nonstatutory provisions.

SB723,2,9 (1) Maintenance of effort. In fiscal year 2020-21, the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection may not make a grant to a county for the purpose of funding county land conservation personnel under s. 92.14 (3) (a) unless that county enters into an agreement with the department to maintain or increase its number of county land conservation personnel positions at or above the average number of such positions in its 2 fiscal years preceding August 1, 2020.

SB723,3 Section 3 . Fiscal changes.

SB723,2,15 (1) County conservation staffing — general fund. 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) (c), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is increased by $2,960,900 for support of local land conservation personnel under the soil and water resource management program under s. 92.14.

SB723,2,16 (End)