Bill > SB158

This bill clarifies and modifies the eligibility and funding provisions for county forest administrator grants in Wisconsin. Specifically, the bill defines a "county forest administrator" as an individual who manages a county forest program and meets one of three qualification sets: having a forestry degree from an accredited school, having a natural resources or conservation degree with at least three years of forest management experience, or having an associate degree in forestry with at least three years of forest management experience. The bill updates the existing grant program to provide up to 50 percent funding for the administrator's salary and up to 50 percent funding for fringe benefits (not to exceed 40 percent of the salary). The changes remove previous language about "professional forester" positions and create more specific criteria for who qualifies as a county forest administrator. The bill will apply to grant applications submitted on or after its effective date and is retroactively effective to January 1, 2025, which means it will impact grant applications for the 2025 calendar year and beyond.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/bill/sb158