Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB1162 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
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5	5	2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 1162
6	6	March 22, 2024 - Introduced by Representatives SAPIK, MURSAU, SWEARINGEN, S.
7	7	JOHNSON, GREEN, ARMSTRONG, CALLAHAN and EDMING, cosponsored by
8	8	Senators QUINN, COWLES and KNODL. Referred to Committee on Forestry,
9	9	Parks and Outdoor Recreation.
10	10	AN ACT relating to: county forest administration grant eligibility.
11	11	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
12	12	This bill makes a change to eligibility for a county forest administration grant.
13	13	Current law authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to make grants
14	14	to counties that have lands designated as county forest to fund 50 percent of a
15	15	professional forester for county forest administrator or assistant county forest
16	16	administrator (county forest administration grant program). Current DNR
17	17	administrative rules regulating the county forest administration grant program
18	18	define “forester” as a person, other than one employed by DNR, who has received a
19	19	bachelor's or higher degree in forestry from a school of forestry with a curriculum
20	20	accredited by the Society of American Foresters or an equivalent degree, as
21	21	determined by the chief state forester, or who is employed as a county forest
22	22	administrator or assistant county forest administrator in the administration of
23	23	county forests as of August 12, 1993. This bill replaces the administrative code term
24	24	“forester” with “county forest administrator” and defines it to mean a person
25	25	employed to manage a county forest program (excluding a DNR employee) who has
26	26	any of the following qualifications:
27	27	1. A bachelor's or higher degree in forestry from a school of forestry with a
28	28	curriculum accredited by the Society of American Foresters or an equivalent degree,
29	29	as determined by the chief state forester.
30	30	2. A bachelor's or higher degree in natural resources, conservation, or wildlife
31	31	and three or more years of experience managing a county forest program.
32	32	1 - 2 -2023 - 2024 Legislature LRB-5851/1
33	33	EHS:amn
34	34	ASSEMBLY BILL 1162
35	35	3. An associate degree in forestry and three or more years of experience
36	36	managing a county forest program.
37	37	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
38	38	enact as follows:
39	39	SECTION 1. NR 47.70 (1) of the administrative code is amended to read:
40	40	NR 47.70 (1) PURPOSE. The purpose of this section is to establish standards and
41	41	procedures for implementation of a grant program to contribute funds towards
42	42	payment of the salary and fringe benefits of a professional forester in the position of
43	43	administrator or assistant administrator of a county forest administrator and also
44	44	payment of a county's dues to a non-profit organization that provides leadership and
45	45	counsel to a county forest administrator and serves as an organizational liaison to
46	46	the department.
47	47	SECTION 2. NR 47.70 (2) (dm) of the administrative code is created to read:
48	48	NR 47.70 (2) (dm) “County forest administrator” means an individual who is
49	49	employed to manage a county forest program under ss. 28.10 and 28.11, Stats., and
50	50	who has any of the following qualifications, except that it does not include an
51	51	individual who is employed by the department:
52	52	1. A bachelor's or higher degree in forestry from a school of forestry with a
53	53	curriculum accredited by the Society of American Foresters or an equivalent degree,
54	54	as determined by the chief state forester.
55	55	2. A bachelor's or higher degree in natural resources, conservation, or wildlife
56	56	and 3 or more years of experience managing a county forest program under ss. 28.10
57	57	and 28.11, Stats.
58	58	3. An associate degree in forestry and 3 or more years of experience managing
59	59	a county forest program under ss. 28.10 and 28.11, Stats.
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83	83	SECTION 3
84	84	ASSEMBLY BILL 1162
85	85	SECTION 3. NR 47.70 (2) (e) of the administrative code is repealed.
86	86	SECTION 4. NR 47.70 (2) (h) of the administrative code is amended to read:
87	87	NR 47.70 (2) (h) “Independent consulting forester" means a forester, as
88	88	described in par. (e) defined in s. NR 1.21 (2) (e), who provides a variety of
89	89	professional forestry services on a contract or fee basis and is employed by a county.
90	90	SECTION 5. NR 47.70 (3) (c) of the administrative code is amended to read:
91	91	NR 47.70 (3) (c) Except as provided in par. pars. (d) and (e), a grant shall be
92	92	limited to funding annual salary and fringe benefits for a forester county forest
93	93	administrator employed by a county and a county's annual dues to a non-profit
94	94	organization representing their county forest interests.
95	95	SECTION 6. NR 47.70 (3) (d) of the administrative code is amended to read:
96	96	NR 47.70 (3) (d) A grant under this section may be awarded to a county to
97	97	contribute to the funding of an independent consulting forester or the salary of a
98	98	forester county forest administrator shared between 2 counties.
99	99	SECTION 7. NR 47.70 (4) (a) of the administrative code is amended to read:
100	100	NR 47.70 (4) (a) An annual grant award to a county may not exceed 50% of the
101	101	position's annual salary and fringe benefits. Fringe benefit costs may not exceed 40%
102	102	of the forester's county forest administrator's salary.
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