Wisconsin Legislative Council
AMENDMENT MEMO
One Ea st Ma in Stre e t, Suite 401 • Ma dison, W I 53703 • (608) 266-1304 • le g.council@le gis.wisconsin.gov • http://www.le gis.wisconsin.gov/lc
Memo published: December 8, 2023 Contact: Anna Henning, Principal Attorney
2023 Assembly Bill 419
Assembly Substitute
Amendment 2
2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 419
2023 Assembly Bill 419 requires the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection
(DATCP) to develop and maintain an online, interactive carbon calculator, which may be used by
Wisconsin farmers to determine the carbon emissions produced directly and indirectly from their
agricultural activities. The bill specifies that the calculator must allow users to input different factors,
including a number of factors set forth in the bill.
The bill authorizes DATCP to contract with a third party to implement the bill. The bill requires DATCP
and any contracted third party to keep confidential all information provided by calculator users and
specifies that information provided by a user of the calculator, and a user’s calculated emissions, are not
subject to disclosure requirements under the Open Records Law.
ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 2
Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 modifies the bill as follows:
Adds a new deadline of June 30, 2025, by which DATCP must complete the carbon calculator and
make it available.
Adds a new requirement that DATCP must submit a request to the Joint Committee on Finance for
a transfer of a sufficient amount of funds from the Environmental Fund for the purpose of
developing and maintaining the calculator, or for costs associated with contracting with a third
party to develop and maintain the calculator.
Clarifies that, if DNR contracts with a third party to create the calculator, the contract must require
that all input factors, calculations, processes, and formulas used in the calculator are transparent
and easily accessible to DATCP and those who use the calculator.
Specifies that DATCP, county conservation staff, and other government entities may not use
information provided to the calculator, or a user’s calculated carbon emissions, for any purpose, if
the information is capable of identifying the farmer or the exact location of the relevant land.
BILL HISTORY
Representative Oldenburg offered Assembly Substitute Amendment 2 on December 5, 2023. On
December 7, 2023, the Assembly Committee on Agriculture voted to recommend adoption of the
substitute amendment on a vote of Ayes, 13; Noes, 0. The committee then voted to recommend
adoption of the bill, as amended, on a vote of Ayes, 14; Noes, 0.
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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