This new bill authored by State Rep. Tony Kurtz seeks to extend a conservation program and revise regulations on land acquisition and property development in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program and a major land acquisitions program. (FE)”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill extends the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 Program through fiscal year 2029-30 and revises regulations on land acquisition and property development. It adjusts financial obligations for conservation projects, reducing the funding allocated for certain grants to nonprofit conservation organizations from $7 million to $2 million annually. The bill also specifies prioritizing projects that involve property development over land acquisition and eliminates previous funding restrictions for smaller parcels of land. A new major land acquisitions program is established for projects exceeding $1 million, requiring legislative enumeration. Additionally, the bill mandates that grants made post-closing on land acquisitions be limited to 40% of the costs, with increased emphasis on funding for wildlife habitat management on public lands. An effective date will follow either the day after publication or two days after the 2025 biennial budget act’s publication, contingent on the enactment of LRB-3507/1.
The bill was co-authored by Senator Patrick Testin (Republican-24th District), Representative David Armstrong (Republican-67th District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), Representative Mark Born (Republican-37th District), Representative Barbara Dittrich (Republican-99th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (Republican-19th District), Senator Jesse L. James (Republican-23rd District), and Senator Romaine Robert Quinn (Republican-25th District), along 16 other co-sponsors.
Tony Kurtz has authored or co-authored another 24 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with one of them being enacted.
Kurtz graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1989 with a BS.
Kurtz, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state’s 41st Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Alex Dallman.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| AB315 | 06/09/2025 | The Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program and a major land acquisitions program. (FE) |
| AB257 | 05/12/2025 | Advanced practice registered nurses, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and granting rule-making authority. (FE) |
| AB250 | 05/08/2025 | Funding for the War Memorial Center and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| AB234 | 05/02/2025 | The electronic vaping device directory and electronic nicotine devices. (FE) |
| AB199 | 04/15/2025 | Reimbursement of emergency services under the Medical Assistance program when a patient is not transported, reporting on changes to the scope of practice of emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program. (FE) |
| AB198 | 04/15/2025 | Emergency medical services education, tuition and materials reimbursement for emergency medical responders and emergency medical services practitioners, and a live 911 pilot program. (FE) |
| AB197 | 04/15/2025 | A levy limit exemption for regional emergency medical systems and eligibility for the expenditure restraint incentive program. (FE) |
| AB155 | 04/02/2025 | Designating the Tom Diehl Memorial Highway. (FE) |
| AB137 | 03/13/2025 | Maximum life and allocation period for Tax Incremental District Number 9 in the village of DeForest and the total value of taxable property that may be included in tax incremental financing districts created in the village of DeForest. (FE) |
| AB22 | 02/06/2025 | Limitations on the total value of taxable property that may be included in, and the lifespan of, a tax incremental financing district created in the city of Middleton. (FE) |
