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Bills from the 2017–18 session

Senate Bill 803

Eligibility for managed forest land program. (FE)

Stopped in committee

It never got a ⁠, so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.

  1. Introduced, passed

    Feb 14, 2018

  2. Committee, stopped here

    Stopped here. No public hearing was held.

  3. Senate vote, not reached

  4. Assembly vote, not reached

  5. Governor, not reached

  6. Law, not reached

Latest entry in the official record, Mar 28, 2018: “Failed to pass pursuant to ⁠”

It never got a hearing in the Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining and Forestry. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.

Read the bill

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What it would have done

Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill provides that land is eligible for designation as managed forest land (MFL) only if the land is owned by a resident of this state.

Under the MFL program administered by the Department of Natural Resources, the owner of a parcel of land designated as MFL makes an annual acreage share payment that is lower than, and in lieu of, the property taxes that normally would be payable on the land. In exchange, the owner must comply with certain forestry practices. Under the program, MFL is designated as either “open" or “closed" to public access. MFL that is designated as “open" must be kept open for hunting, fishing, hiking, sight-seeing, and cross-country skiing. For MFL that is designated as “closed," the owner must make an additional payment per acre.

Read the full summary

The bill provides that a parcel of land is eligible for designation as MFL only if the parcel is owned by a person whose principal dwelling is located in this state or a business entity whose principal place of business is located in this state. The bill defines “principal dwelling” to mean any dwelling that is used by the owner of the dwelling as a primary residence on January 1 of the year in which the owner claims exemption from property tax on a parcel of MFL. The bill defines “principal place of business” to mean the primary location where a business entity conducts business on January 1 of the year in which the business entity claims exemption from property tax on a parcel of MFL.

Who's behind it

Kathleen Vinehout, a Democrat, is its ⁠.

4 more lawmakers ⁠.

See all 5 names

Author (1)

Signed on in support (4)

What it would cost

State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

What happened

  1. Mar 28, 2018

    The session ended, and the bill died with it.

  2. Feb 27, 2018

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  3. Feb 23, 2018

    A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.

  4. Feb 14, 2018

    Sent to the Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining and Forestry.

  5. Feb 14, 2018

    Introduced in the Senate.

See the official record, word for word
  1. Feb 14, 2018 · Senate

    Introduced by Senator Vinehout; cosponsored by Representatives Vruwink, Subeck, Berceau and Sinicki

  2. Feb 14, 2018 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining and Forestry

  3. Feb 23, 2018 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  4. Feb 27, 2018 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Mar 28, 2018 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Terms on this page

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

More in the glossary

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

More in the glossary

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary

From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source

Committee

A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.

Public hearing

A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.

Senate Joint Resolution 1

The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.

Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1

Legislative Reference Bureau

The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.

Official term: LRB analysis

Author

A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Official term: Author, coauthor

Signed on in support

Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.

Official term: Cosponsor

Cost estimate

A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.

Official term: Fiscal estimate