Senator Dale Schultz 17th Senate District

 
P.O. Box 7882, Madison, WI 53707

For immediate release: February 2, 2000

Madison…Senator Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) this week voted to have the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources be appointed by the members of the Natural Resources Board instead of the Governor.Senator Schultz joined colleagues on the Senate Environmental Resources Committee in supporting the change, with all members voting in favor of Senate Bill 3.

"If enacted, this bill would restore the policy in place prior to 1995 when the citizen members of the Natural Resources Board appointed the DNR Secretary," Schultz said."In 1995, the legislature switched the authority so that the Secretary currently serves at the pleasure of the Governor as a cabinet member."

“The intent of the change was to enable state government to operate efficiently, more like a business," Schultz said."However, there remains a concern among many that we should return to the Secretary being selected by the Natural Resources Board."

Schultz noted that the Conservation Congress, at its 2000 spring hearing, by an overwhelming statewide vote of 8,474 to 436 supported restoring authority to appoint the DNR Secretary to the Natural Resources Board.

“With a new Governor and new legislative session, the time seems right to restore the DNR Secretary appointment to the Natural Resources Board," said Schultz."The fact our Senate committee passed it with bipartisan support sends a message to all legislators that we should restore the authority and move on."

The legislation is likely to receive public hearings by the Assembly committee on the environment before being voted on by the full Senate and Assembly.

For information on this or other state issues, contact Dale Schultz at PO Box 7882, Madison WI, 53707, call 800.978.8008 or send e-mails to him at Dale.Schultz@legis.state.wi.us.