Todd Novak, Wisconsin State Representative of 51st District | Facebook
Todd Novak, Wisconsin State Representative of 51st District | Facebook
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.
Todd Novak has authored or co-authored another 63 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Novak, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2015 to represent the state's 51st Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Howard Marklein.
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) |
| AB310 | 06/06/2025 | Creating a nutrient loss reduction grant program. (FE) |
| AB300 | 06/06/2025 | A grant program for the purchase of automated registration plate reader systems. (FE) |
| AB299 | 05/30/2025 | Provision of virtual mental health services for students at certain UW System institutions. (FE) |
| AB298 | 05/30/2025 | Grants for technical colleges to provide mapping data to law enforcement. (FE) |
| AB233 | 05/02/2025 | Grants to child advocacy centers. (FE) |
| AB219 | 04/23/2025 | A tax credit for rail infrastructure modernization. (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) |
| AB190 | 04/15/2025 | Obtaining attorney fees and costs under the state’s public records law when an authority voluntarily or unilaterally releases a contested record after an action has been filed in court |
| AB185 | 04/15/2025 | Property tax exemption for nonprofit theaters. (FE) |
| AB173 | 04/09/2025 | Regulation of pharmacy benefit managers, fiduciary and disclosure requirements on pharmacy benefit managers, and application of prescription drug payments to health insurance cost-sharing requirements. (FE) |
| AB159 | 04/02/2025 | Creating a rural creative economy development grant program. (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) |
| AB129 | 03/13/2025 | Providing safe drinking water in public and private schools. (FE) |
| AB120 | 03/11/2025 | Positions for the Office of School Safety. (FE) |
| AB118 | 03/11/2025 | A transition to grazing pilot program and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| AB54 | 02/24/2025 | Utilization management controls for antipsychotic prescription drugs under the Medical Assistance program. (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) |
| AB1 | 01/31/2025 | Changes to the educational assessment program and the school and school district accountability report. (FE) |
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