(The Center Square) – A group of Wisconsin lawmakers is bringing back right of first refusal legislation that was debated last year but did not pass the Senate.

The legislation would allow companies doing business in Wisconsin the chance to bid on work on the electric grid before any out of state companies can offer a price.

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, and State Rep. Kevin Petersen, R-Waupaca, are sponsoring the legislation they say is backed by a group of business groups and businesses including Kwik Trip, Wisconsin Counties Association, the Wisconsin Economic Development Association, the Wisconsin Electrical Cooperative Association, the Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin, public power company WPPI Energy, the state’s three major electricity transmission companies and all of the state’s investor-owned power generating companies.

The group, called Wisconsin for ROFR, says that the ratepayers would be projected to pay $1 billion in additional costs over the lifetime of projects that are currently scheduled.

“All of Wisconsin’s neighboring states have either adopted ROFR laws or are trying to implement them, and they are shifting more of their costs to Wisconsin ratepayers,” said Ellen Nowak, a vice president of American Transmission Company, a local grid builder and operator and member of the Wisconsin for ROFR Coalition. “Adopting ROFR in Wisconsin helps protect ratepayers from getting hit with a $1 billion bite at the same time other states shift more cost to us.”

State Rep. Ty Bodden, R-Stockbridge, voted against the bill last year, saying it would hurt working families by eliminating fair competition for work and thus leading to higher utility bills for businesses and families.