Chapter 15

15.347(19)(a) (a) There is created in the department of natural resources a council of forestry consisting of:

15.347(19)(a)1. 1. The chief state forester or his or her designee.

15.347(19)(a)2. 2. One member of the senate.

15.347(19)(a)3. 3. One member of the senate.

15.347(19)(a)4. 4. One member of the assembly.

15.347(19)(a)5. 5. One member of the assembly.

15.347(19)(a)6. 6. One member who represents the interests of a forest products company that owns and manages large tracts of private forest land that supply raw materials to the forest products industry.

15.347(19)(a)7. 7. One member who represents the interests of owners of nonindustrial, private forest land who manage the land to produce ecological, economic, and social benefits.

15.347(19)(a)8. 8. One member who represents the interests of counties that have county forests within their boundaries.

15.347(19)(a)9. 9. One member who represents the interests of the paper and pulp industry.

15.347(19)(a)10. 10. One member who represents the interests of the lumber industry.

15.347(19)(a)11. 11. One member who represents the interests of nonprofit conservation organizations whose purposes include the conservation and use of forest resources.

15.347(19)(a)12. 12. One member who is a forester who engages in the practice of providing consultation services on forestry issues.

15.347(19)(a)13. 13. One member who represents the interests of schools of forestry within the state that have curricula in the management of forest resources that are accredited by the Society of American Foresters.

15.347(19)(a)14. 14. One member who represents the interests of persons who engage in the practice of conservation education.

15.347(19)(a)15. 15. One member who represents the interests of persons who are members of labor unions that are affiliated with the forestry industry.

15.347(19)(a)16. 16. One member who represents the interests of persons who are engaged in the practice of urban and community forestry.

15.347(19)(a)17. 17. One member who represents the interests of persons who are members of the Society of American Foresters.

15.347(19)(a)18. 18. One member who represents the interests of persons who are members of an organization of timber producers.

15.347(19)(a)19. 19. One person who represents the interests of persons who are engaged in an industry that uses secondary wood.

15.347(19)(a)20. 20. One member who is employed by the federal department of agriculture, forest service, who shall be a nonvoting member.

15.347(19)(b) (b) Each member specified in par. (a) shall be appointed by the governor.

15.347(19)(d) (d) The governor shall annually appoint a chairperson for the council from among its members before the first meeting of each year, and the chairperson, at the first meeting of each year, shall annually appoint the vice chairperson and secretary from among the council’s members. Any of these appointees may be appointed for successive terms.

15.347(19)(e) (e) The council shall meet 4 times each year and shall also meet on the call of the chairperson of the council or on the call of a majority of its members. Notwithstanding s. 15.09 (3), the council shall meet at such locations within this state as may be designated by the chairperson of the council or by a majority of its members.

15.347(20) (20) Nonmotorized recreation and transportation trails council.

15.347(20)(a) (a) There is created in the department of natural resources a nonmotorized recreation and transportation trails council.

15.347(20)(b) (b) The governor shall appoint members of the council to serve at the pleasure of the governor. In appointing the members of the council, the governor shall seek geographic diversity in the membership. The governor shall appoint members who personally undertake nonmotorized trail activities or who participate in organizations that own or maintain nonmotorized trails or that promote nonmotorized trail activities. The governor shall appoint members who represent as many as possible of the following groups, or who represent persons who engage in other nonmotorized trail activities or who have other interests related to nonmotorized trail uses identified by the governor:

15.347(20)(b)1. 1. Persons who engage in activities on water trails.

15.347(20)(b)2. 2. Pedestrians.

15.347(20)(b)3. 3. Persons who engage in horseback riding and buggy driving.

15.347(20)(b)4. 4. Persons who engage in long-distance hiking.

15.347(20)(b)5. 5. Persons who engage in nature-based activities, such as bird watching, nature study, hunting, and fishing.

15.347(20)(b)6. 6. Persons who engage in alpine sports.

15.347(20)(b)7. 7. Persons who engage in bicycling of all forms, including trail riding, mountain biking, commuting, and long-distance bicycling.

15.347(20)(b)8. 8. Persons who represent local forests or parks.

15.347(20)(b)9. 9. Persons with physical disabilities who engage in nonmotorized trail activities.

15.347(20)(b)10. 10. Persons who are interested in tourism promotion.

15.347(20)(b)11. 11. Persons who represent tribal lands.

15.347(20)(c) (c) If any member of the council is unable to attend a meeting of the council, the secretary of natural resources may appoint an alternate for that meeting to ensure that the full range of nonmotorized trails interests and activities is represented at the meeting.

15.347(21) (21) Sporting heritage council.

15.347(21)(a) (a) There is created in the department of natural resources a sporting heritage council consisting of the following members:

15.347(21)(a)1. 1. The secretary of natural resources, or his or her designee, who shall serve as chairperson.

15.347(21)(a)2. 2. One member, appointed by the governor.

15.347(21)(a)3. 3. Two members of the assembly, appointed by the speaker of the assembly, who may not be members of the same political party.

15.347(21)(a)4. 4. Two members of the senate, appointed by the senate majority leader, who may not be members of the same political party.

15.347(21)(a)5. 5. Five members, appointed by the natural resources board from nominations provided by sporting organizations that have as their primary objective the promotion of hunting, fishing, or trapping. Of the 5 members, one shall represent the interests of deer hunters, one shall represent the interests of bear hunters, one shall represent the interests of bird hunters, one shall represent the interests of anglers, and one shall represent the interests of furbearing animal hunters and trappers.

15.347(21)(a)6. 6. One member, appointed by the executive committee of the conservation congress, who is a member of the conservation congress.

15.347(21)(b) (b) The members of the sporting heritage council appointed under par. (a) 2. to 6. shall be appointed for 3-year terms.

15.347(21)(c) (c) The sporting heritage council shall meet at least one time each year.

15.347(22) (22) Wetland study council.

15.347(22)(a) (a) There is created in the department of natural resources a wetland study council consisting of the following members, appointed for staggered 6-year terms:

15.347(22)(a)1. 1. One member who is a representative of a statewide organization representing the business community.

15.347(22)(a)2. 2. One member who is a representative of a statewide organization representing waterfowl interests.

15.347(22)(a)3. 3. One member who is a representative of a statewide organization representing real estate and development interests.

15.347(22)(a)4. 4. One member who is a representative of a statewide organization representing municipal interests.

15.347(22)(a)5. 5. One member who is a representative of a statewide organization representing rural and agricultural interests.

15.347(22)(a)6. 6. One member who is a representative of a statewide land conservation group with a specific interest in wetlands.

15.347(22)(a)7. 7. One member who is a statewide wetland delineator.

15.347(22)(a)8. 8. One member who is a statewide wetland consultant.

15.347(22)(a)9. 9. One member who is a department of natural resources biologist or hydrologist and who is a wetland expert, appointed by the secretary of natural resources.

15.347(22)(b) (b) The wetland study council shall research and develop recommendations on all of the following:

15.347(22)(b)1. 1. The implementation and effectiveness of statewide wetland mitigation programs.

15.347(22)(b)2. 2. Program elements that would be necessary for the department of natural resources to implement if the department assumes from the federal government the authority to administer the state’s own individual and general permit program for the discharge of dredged or fill material into the navigable waters of the state under s. 281.12 (2).

15.347(22)(b)3. 3. Issues related to the analysis of practicable alternatives that avoid and minimize the adverse impacts of a discharge into a wetland on wetland functional values and that will not result in any other significant adverse environmental consequences.

15.347(22)(b)4. 4. Storm water management ponds and their potential to serve a role in wetland mitigation.

15.347(22)(b)5. 5. Statewide incentive programs for creating, restoring, and enhancing wetlands.

15.347(22)(b)6. 6. Statewide wetland trainings for department of natural resources staff, wetland consultants, and wetland delineators.

15.347(22)(b)7. 7. The simplification of regulations associated with creating wetlands on farm drainage ditches for the purpose of phosphorus pollution retention.

15.347(22)(b)8. 8. Ways to improve the in lieu fee subprogram of the wetland mitigation program, under s. 281.36 (3r) (e), including subcontracting the management of a program to a nonprofit organization.

15.347(22)(b)9. 9. The possibility of a professional, whose wetland delineation work is assured under the department of natural resources’ wetland delineation professional assurance initiative, performing a wetland delineation confirmation under s. 23.321 on behalf of the department.

15.347(22)(b)10. 10. Methods of financing wetland mitigation requirements for local units of government.

15.347(22)(b)11. 11. Any other item related to wetlands at the discretion of the council.

15.347 History History: 1971 c. 100 s. 23; 1971 c. 164, 211, 277, 307, 323; 1973 c. 12, 301, 318; 1975 c. 39, 198, 224, 412; 1977 c. 29 ss. 51, 52, 52d, 1650m (1), (4); 1977 c. 377; 1979 c. 34 ss. 39g, 39r, 2102 (39) (g), (58) (b); 1979 c. 221, 355; 1979 c. 361 s. 112; 1981 c. 346 s. 38; 1983 a. 410; 1985 a. 29 ss. 87h, 87m, 3200 (39); 1985 a. 65, 296, 332; 1987 a. 27, 186, 399; 1989 a. 11, 31, 335; 1991 a. 32, 39, 269, 302, 316; 1993 a. 16, 464; 1995 a. 27 ss. 169 to 175b, 9116 (5) and 9126 (19); 1995 a. 227; 1997 a. 27, 300; 2001 a. 109; 2005 a. 168; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2009 a. 394; 2011 a. 32 ss. 117b, 125, 126; 2011 a. 104, 168; 2013 a. 16, 69; 2015 a. 55, 168, 170; 2017 a. 183.

15.348 15.348 Conservation congress. The conservation congress shall be an independent organization of citizens of the state and shall serve in an advisory capacity to the natural resources board on all matters under the jurisdiction of the board. Its records, budgets, studies and surveys shall be kept and established in conjunction with the department of natural resources. Its reports shall be an independent advisory opinion of such congress.

15.348 History History: 1971 c. 179.

15.37 15.37 Department of public instruction; creation. There is created a department of public instruction under the direction and supervision of the state superintendent of public instruction.

15.37 History History: 1971 c. 125; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27.

15.373 15.373 Same; specified divisions.

15.373(1) (1) Division for learning support. There is created in the department of public instruction a division for learning support.

15.373(2) (2) Division for libraries and technology. There is created in the department of public instruction a division for libraries and technology.

15.373 History History: 1983 a. 27 s. 2200 (42); 1993 a. 335; 1995 a. 27 s. 9145 (1); 1997 a. 27; 2001 a. 48; 2011 a. 158.

15.374 15.374 Same; offices.

15.374(1) (1) Office of educational accountability. There is created an office of educational accountability in the department of public instruction. The director of the office shall be appointed by the state superintendent of public instruction.

15.374(2) (2) Office of literacy. There is created an office of literacy, to be known as the Wisconsin Reading Center, in the department of public instruction. The director of the office shall be nominated by the state superintendent of public instruction after consultation with the council on early literacy curricula, and with the advice and consent of the senate appointed, to serve at the pleasure of the state superintendent of public instruction.

Effective date note NOTE: Sub. (2) is repealed eff. 7-1-28 by 2023 Wis. Act 20.

15.374 History History: 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 2023 a. 20.

15.375 15.375 Same; attached boards.

15.375(2) (2) School district boundary appeal board. There is created a school district boundary appeal board in the department of public instruction. The board shall consist of 12 school board members appointed by the state superintendent of public instruction for staggered 2-year terms and the state superintendent of public instruction or his or her designee. Four board members shall be school board members of school districts with small enrollments, 4 board members shall be school board members of school districts with medium enrollments and 4 board members shall be school board members of school districts with large enrollments. No 2 school board members of the board may reside within the boundaries of the same cooperative educational service agency.

15.375 History History: 1979 c. 346; 1983 a. 27; 1989 a. 114, 299; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 399; 1995 a. 27 ss. 179 to 182, 9127 (1) and 9145 (1); 1997 a. 27.