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Wisconsin Legislature: SJR125: Joint Resolution Text
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SJR125: Joint Resolution Text
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2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-5816/1
CMH:ajk
2025 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 125
February 6, 2026 - Introduced by Senators
Pfaff
,
Spreitzer
,
Wirch
,
Roys
,
Ratcliff
,
Hesselbein
,
Dassler-Alfheim
,
Smith
,
Wall
,
Carpenter
and
Larson
, cosponsored by Representatives
Subeck
,
Stroud
,
Roe
,
Kaufert
,
Wichgers
,
DeSmidt
,
Joers
,
Moore Omokunde
,
Madison
,
Clancy
,
Miresse
,
Stubbs
,
Spiros
,
Sinicki
,
Rivera-Wagner
and
Kitchens
. Referred to Committee on Senate Organization.
SJR125,1,1
1
Relating to:
the life and public service of George Meyer.
SJR125,1,5
2
Whereas, George Meyer, a devoted public servant, conservationist, attorney,
3
and former secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR),
4
passed away on December 10, 2025, at the age of 78, leaving behind a legacy of
5
environmental stewardship that will benefit Wisconsin for generations to come; and
SJR125,1,9
6
Whereas, born on a dairy farm in New Holstein, Wisconsin, George Meyer
7
lived his family’s values of hard work, land stewardship, and deep faith, eventually
8
earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Norbert College and a law degree
9
from the University of Wisconsin–Madison; and
SJR125,1,13
10
Whereas, George Meyer began his storied career during a transformative era
11
in conservation, starting as a law clerk at the DNR in 1970, just days before the first
12
Earth Day, and was subsequently hired full-time to fill one of the first staff
13
positions funded by the federal Clean Water Act; and
SJR125,2,3
14
Whereas, as a staff attorney and administrator of the Division of Enforcement,
1
George Meyer championed the Public Trust Doctrine to protect the state’s
2
waterways and helped develop Wisconsin’s wetland protection regulations, which
3
are regarded as some of the strongest and most comprehensive in the nation; and
SJR125,2,6
4
Whereas, George Meyer demonstrated profound courage, successfully using
5
legal means to confront the Posse Comitatus militia in Shawano County regarding
6
land-use permits, despite facing threats of violence; and
SJR125,2,12
7
Whereas, during a period of intense tension regarding Ojibwe off-reservation
8
treaty rights, George Meyer displayed exemplary leadership by upholding the rule
9
of law and protecting tribal hunting and fishing rights, reminding DNR wardens
10
that their duty was to defend democracy, and successfully negotiating over 40
11
agreements with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission to ensure
12
safe and equitable resource management; and
SJR125,2,18
13
Whereas, appointed by the Natural Resources Board and reappointed by
14
Governor Tommy Thompson, George Meyer served as secretary of the DNR from
15
1993 to 2001, a tenure during which the state acquired 142,000 acres of land for
16
recreational use—including the Willow Flowage and the Great
17
Addition—reestablished the state’s wild elk population, and implemented the
18
nation’s first mercury emission regulations; and
SJR125,2,21
19
Whereas, under his leadership, the DNR cleaned up 12,000 contaminated
20
sites through brownfields cleanup programs and successfully advocated for the
21
reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program; and
SJR125,3,2
22
Whereas, after his retirement from state service, George Meyer continued his
23
advocacy as the first executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, where
1
he founded the Wisconsin Conservation Leadership Corps to mentor the next
2
generation of conservation policy leaders; and
SJR125,3,5
3
Whereas, in his final years, George Meyer worked tirelessly to balance
4
growing energy needs with wildlife protection, achieving a landmark settlement
5
regarding solar power development near the Buena Vista State Wildlife Area; and
SJR125,3,10
6
Whereas, George Meyer was inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of
7
Fame in 2018 and received the National Wildlife Federation’s lifetime achievement
8
award in 2025, and he was recognized by colleagues and family alike as an eternal
9
optimist, a “force for nature,” and a man who treated every person with dignity and
10
respect; and
SJR125,3,13
11
Whereas, George Meyer is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jayne, their
12
children Jocelyn and Andrew, their grandson Laken, and a wide circle of family and
13
friends who cherish his memory; now, therefore, be it
SJR125,3,18
14
Resolved by the
senate
, the
assembly
concurring, That
the members of
15
the Wisconsin Legislature honor the extraordinary life and legacy of George Meyer,
16
express their deepest gratitude for his decades of service to the natural resources
17
and people of Wisconsin, and extend their sincere condolences to his family and
18
friends.
SJR125,3,19
19
(end)
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