Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: To Executive Bipartisan · 6 R · 2 D cosponsors

SB 59 — Relating to: eligibility for producer-led watershed, lake, and river protection grants. (FE)

Last action — Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “To Executive” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

100 added · 15 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendments to SB 59 expand the eligibility for grants aimed at watershed, lake, and river protection by allowing groups of farmers from adjacent watersheds to apply, rather than just those in a single watershed. This change is significant because it fosters collaboration among neighboring farmers, potentially leading to more comprehensive environmental protection efforts. Additionally, if a producer-led group is not a recognized legal entity, the amendments clarify that a legal entity can apply on their behalf, ensuring that all producer-led groups have the opportunity to secure funding.

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- 2024 LEGISLATURE LRBa0028/2 MCP:amn&skw SENATE AMENDMENT 1, TO SENATE BILL 59 March 24, 2023 - Offered by SenatoOWLES.
- 2024 LEGISLATURE LRB-0648/1 MCP:skw SENATE BILL 59 February 14, 2023 - Introduced by Senators OWLES , ALLWEG , CABRAL-GUEVARA , FEYEN , ACQUE , MARKLEIN, FAFF, QUINN, PREITZER and TESTIN, cosponsored by Representatives K ITCHENS, N OVAK, T RANEL, S HANKLAND , K RUG, J .
At the locations indicated, amend the bill as follows:
A NDERSON, ANDRACA , ARMSTRONG , BALDEH , BEHNKE , CONSIDINE, DITTRICH, D ONOVAN, EMERSON , GREEN, OERS , .JOHNSON , KNODL , MURSAU, OC ONNOR , O LDENBURG , ETRYK, PLUMER, ROZAR, INICK, SNODGRASS, SNYDER, PIROS and VANDER M EER.
1.
Referred to Committee on Agriculture and Tourism.
Page 2, line 5:
A N A CT to amend 93.59 (2) (a), 93.59 (2) (d), 93.59 (3), 281.68 (1t) (intro.), 281.68 (3) (a) 1.
delete the material beginning with “In this paragraph" and ending with “hydrologic unit code 12)." on line 8.
and 281.69 (3) (a);
2.
and to create 281.68 (1) (ar), 281.69 (1b) (br), 281.70 (1) (am) and 281.70 (4) (a) 4.
Page 3, line 14:
of the statutes;
on lines 14 and 24, after “lake management." insert “If a producer-led group is not a legal entity, the eligible recipient shall be a legal entity on behalf of the producer-led group.".
relating to:
3.
eligibility for producer-led watershed, lake, and river protection grants.
Page 4, line 4:
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau This bill expands eligibility for producer-led watershed protection grants, lake protection grants, and river protection grants.
after “group projects." insert “If a producer-led group is not a legal entity, the eligible recipient shall be a legal entity on behalf of the producer-led group.".
Under current law, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection administers a program to provide watershed protection grants to producer-led groups made up of farmers located in one watershed.
The bill allows grants under the program to be awarded to producer-led groups that are made up of farmers located in adjacent watersheds.
Under current law, the Department of Natural Resources provides lake protection grants and lake management grants for monitoring and improving water quality in lakes and lake classification grants for classifying lakes.
Currently, eligible recipients for these grants include nonprofit conservation organizations, counties and municipalities, qualified lake associations, town sanitary districts, qualified school districts, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts, and other local governmental units that are established for the purpose of lake management.
DNR also provides river protection grants for monitoring and improving water quality in rivers.
Currently, eligible recipients for these grants include local governmental units, qualified river management organizations, and - 2024 Legislature - 2 - LRB-0648/1 MCP:skw SENATE BILL 59 nonprofit conservation organizations.
The bill provides that producer-led groups are eligible to receive lake protection, management, and classification grants and river protection grants provided by DNR.
The bill defines “producer-led group” to mean any group that meets the criteria for a producer-led watershed protection grant issued by DATCP.
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.
93.59 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
93.59 (2) (a) The producer-led group includes at least 5 agricultural producers each of whom operates an eligible farm, as defined in s.
91.86 (1), in one watershed or in adjacent watersheds The group may include additional agricultural producers who are not required to be operators of eligible farms.
In this paragraph, “watershed” means a watershed delineated by the U.S.
geological survey using a nationwide system based on surface hydrologic features at the 12-digit basin scale (the hydrologic unit code 12).
SECTION 2.
93.59 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
93.59 (2) (d) The group assists agricultural producers in the watershed or watersheds under par.
(a) to voluntarily conduct nonpoint source water pollution abatement activities.
SECTION 3.
93.59 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
93.59 (3) A producer-led group that receives, or on whose behalf a legal entity receives, a grant under this section shall annually file a report with the department describing the activities conducted with the grant and the impact of those activities on water quality in the watershed or watersheds under sub.
(2) (a).
SECTION 4.
281.68 (1) (ar) of the statutes is created to read:
LRB-0648/1 - 2024 Legislature - 3 - MCP:skw SECTION 4 SENATE BILL 59 281.68 (1) (ar) “Producer-led group” means any group that meets the criteria under s.
93.59 (2).
SECTION 5.
281.68 (1t) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
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281.68 (1t) LAKE MONITORING AND PROTECTION CONTRACTS.
(intro.)The department may award contracts to public groups or persons for the creation and support of a statewide lake monitoring network.
The contracts may include payments for the costs of all of the following:
SECTION 6.
281.68 (3) (a) 1.
of the statutes is amended to read:
281.68 (3) (a) 1.
Eligible recipients to consist of nonprofit conservation organizations, as defined in s.
23.0955 (1), producer-led groups conducting producer-led group projects, counties, cities, towns, villages, qualified lake associations, town sanitary districts, qualified school districts, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts, and other local governmental units, as defined in s.
66.0131 (1) (a), that are established for the purpose of lake management.
SECTION 7.
281.69 (1b) (br) of the statutes is created to read:
281.69 (1b) (br) “Producer-led group” means any group that meets the criteria under s.
93.59 (2).
SECTION 8.
281.69 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
281.69(3) (a) A designation of eligible recipients, which shall include nonprofit conservation organizations, producer-led groups conducting producer-led group projects, counties, cities, towns, villages, qualified lake associations, town sanitary districts, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts, and other local governmental units, as defined in s.
66.0131 (1) (a), that are established for the purpose of lake management.
SECTION 9.
281.70 (1) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
- 2024 Legislature - 4 - LRB-0648/1 MCP:skw SENATE BILL 59 SECTION 9 281.70 (1) (am) “Producer-led group” means any group that meets the criteria under s.
93.59 (2).
SECTION 10.
281.70 (4) (a) 4.
of the statutes is created to read:
281.70 (4) (a) 4.
Producer-led groups conducting producer-led group projects.
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Action History

  1. Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  2. Laid on table

  3. Representatives Subeck and Shelton added as cosponsors

  4. Placed on calendar 4-19-2023 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)

  5. Representatives Steffen and Billings added as cosponsors

  6. Available for scheduling

  7. Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Agriculture and Tourism, Ayes 9, Noes 0

  8. Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Agriculture and Tourism, Ayes 9, Noes 0

  9. Executive action taken

  10. Representative Conley added as a cosponsor

  11. Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Cowles

  12. Public hearing held

  13. Fiscal estimate received

  14. Fiscal estimate received

  15. Representative Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  16. Representative C. Anderson added as a cosponsor

  17. Read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture and Tourism

  18. Introduced by Senators Cowles, Ballweg, Cabral-Guevara, Feyen, Jacque, Marklein, Pfaff, Quinn, Spreitzer and Testin; cosponsored by Representatives Kitchens, Novak, Tranel, Shankland, Krug, J. Anderson, Andraca, Armstrong, Baldeh, Behnke, Considine, Dittrich, Donovan, Emerson, Green, Joers, S. Johnson, Knodl, Mursau, O'Connor, Oldenburg, Petryk, Plumer, Rozar, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Snyder, Spiros and VanderMeer

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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10 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 122 not signed on

Sponsors (10)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (122)

122 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 59?
SB 59 is sponsored by Cowles, Ballweg, Cabral-Guevara, Rachael (Republican), Feyen, Dan (Republican), Jacque, André (Republican), Marklein, Howard (Republican), Pfaff, Brad (Democrat), Quinn, Romaine (Republican), Spreitzer, Mark (Democrat), and Testin, Patrick (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 59?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “To Executive” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 59?
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