SB 685 Wisconsin Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Relating to: the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program, a major land acquisitions program, and making an appropriation. (FE)

SB 685 allocates specific annual funds for conservation programs under Wisconsin's Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson stewardship 2000 program and major land acquisitions initiative. The bill creates four new funding streams: $5 million for department property development, $4 million for nonprofit land acquisition grants, $1 million for habitat restoration grants, and $2 million for local conservation assistance. These funds will be drawn from forestry activity revenues to support land conservation, habitat restoration, and local park development. The bill also specifies debt limits for the stewardship program, including a $1.046 billion cap for the program's funding.
Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Dec 2, 2025 Last action Mar 23, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
20
Key actions
6
Committee
4
Amendments
6
Feb 18, 2026
Committee
Referred to committee on Senate Organization
upper
Feb 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report passage as amended recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 11, Noes 3
upper
Feb 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 11, Noes 3
upper
Feb 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 11, Noes 3
upper
Feb 13, 2026
Committee
Withdrawn from committee on Senate Organization and rereferred to joint committee on Finance pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)
upper
Feb 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report passage as amended recommended by Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 3, Noes 2
upper
Feb 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report adoption of Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 3, Noes 2
upper
Feb 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report adoption of Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 recommended by Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage, Ayes 3, Noes 2
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Introduced
Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Testin
upper
Jan 20, 2026
Introduced
Senate Substitute Amendment 1 offered by Senator Testin
upper
Dec 2, 2025
Introduced
Introduced by Senator Testin; cosponsored by Representative Kurtz
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Patrick Testin
Patrick Testin
RRepublican
WI
24