Introduced to the Assembly and the Senate and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage in the Assembly and the Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges in the Senate.
This bill allows the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands to sell all properties under its jurisdiction to the state and, if BCPL does so, requires the Department of Natural Resources to purchase those lands under the Warren Knowles-Gaylor Nelson Stewardship 2000 Program. The bill also allows couties to elect to manage these lands. The bill reduces the amount DNR must set aside under the land acquisition subprogram of the stewardship program for DNR to acquire land and to provide grants to counties and for grants to nonprofit conservation organizations. The bill also requires the Board of Regents of the Univesity of Wisconsin System to award merit scholarships to certain students.