LRB-0731/P2
EHS:cdc
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
DOA:......Vencill, BB0036 - Stewardship program lapse correction
For 2023-2025 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act to amend 20.370 (5) (hq) and 20.370 (5) (hr) of the statutes; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Natural resources
General natural resources
Moneys from forestry activities transferred to the capital improvement fund
Current law authorizes the state to incur public debt for certain conservation activities under the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 program, which is administered by DNR. The state may incur this debt to acquire land for the state for conservation purposes and for property development activities and may award grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to acquire land for these purposes. Current law establishes the amounts that DNR may obligate in each fiscal year through fiscal year 2025-26 for expenditure under each of five subprograms of the stewardship program. Moneys obligated under the stewardship program are appropriated from the capital improvement fund (CIF) and stewardship bond proceeds are deposited into CIF.
Current law provides that, in obligating moneys under the subprogram for land acquisition, DNR must set aside certain amounts to be obligated only for DNR to acquire land and to provide grants to counties for land acquisition (county forest grants). Specifically, the set-aside for DNR land acquisition each fiscal year is $1,000,000 plus the amount transferred to the capital improvement fund (CIF) under an appropriation that transfers from moneys received for forestry activities (the forestry account) to CIF $0 in 2021-22 and $5,000,000 in 2022-23. The set-aside for county forest grants is equal to the amount transferred to CIF under an appropriation that transfers from the forestry account to CIF $0 in 2021-22 and $3,000,000 in 2022-23.
This bill maintains in the 2023-25 biennium the amounts in the schedule that may be transferred to CIF under each appropriation, but provides that the total amount transferred may not exceed the total amounts in the schedule for both appropriations less the unobligated balance in CIF at the end of that fiscal year. The bill also provides that the amount transferred to CIF under each appropriation must be reduced by the unobligated balance in CIF on a pro rata basis.
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:
Section
1. 20.370 (5) (hq) of the statutes is amended to read:
20.370 (5) (hq) Department land acquisition. From the moneys received by the department for forestry activities, the amounts in the schedule for transfer to the capital improvement fund. The total amount transferred to the capital improvement fund under this paragraph and par. (hr) may not exceed the total amounts in the schedule under both paragraphs less the unencumbered balance in the capital improvement fund at the end of that fiscal year. The amount transferred under each paragraph is reduced on a pro rata basis by the unencumbered balance in the capital improvement fund.
Section
2. 20.370 (5) (hr) of the statutes is amended to read:
20.370 (5) (hr) County forest grants. From the moneys received by the department for forestry activities, the amounts in the schedule for transfer to the capital improvement fund. The total amount transferred to the capital improvement fund under this paragraph and par. (hq) may not exceed the total amounts in the schedule under both paragraphs less the unencumbered balance in the capital improvement fund at the end of that fiscal year. The amount transferred under each paragraph is reduced on a pro rata basis by the unencumbered balance in the capital improvement fund.
Section
3. 23.0917 (3) (bt) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
23.0917 (3) (bt) 3. For each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 2022-23 and ending with fiscal year 2025-26, $1,000,000 plus the amount transferred to the capital improvement fund amounts in the schedule under s. 20.370 (5) (hq) in that fiscal year.
Section
4. 23.0917 (3) (bw) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
23.0917 (3) (bw) 2. In obligating moneys under the subprogram for land acquisition, for each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 2022-23 and ending with fiscal year 2025-26, the department shall set aside the amount transferred to the capital improvement fund amounts in the schedule under s. 20.370 (5) (hr) in that fiscal year to be obligated only to provide grants to counties under s. 23.0953.
(End)
