Bill > SB548

This bill establishes a formal program for chronic wasting disease (CWD) sampling stations administered by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which will provide locations, including self-service kiosks, where hunters can drop off deer carcass parts for CWD testing. The bill authorizes the DNR to contract with private entities to conduct the sampling and to pay these entities per sample taken. It amends existing statutes to include the CWD sampling station program as part of the department's general program operations and provides $1,000,000 in funding over the 2025-27 fiscal biennium ($500,000 in each fiscal year) to support the program. Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk, and other cervids, and the sampling program is designed to monitor and track the spread of the disease among wild animal populations. By establishing this program in statute and providing dedicated funding, the bill aims to enhance wildlife disease surveillance and management efforts.

Budget and Finance

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/bill/sb548