A Republican Senator and conservative group are speaking out against Wisconsin’s proposed Right of First Refusal bill following a public hearing on Senate Bill 28 this week.

The bill, introduced by Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, would allow the utilities to pick the company that will handle their construction work, without having to offer bids to other companies or firms.

The utilities say it will save taxpayers $1 billion over the coming years.

But Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin believes it will result in higher rates for consumers and all ratepayers by making the process monopolistic. The group issued a report showing how it would cost taxpayers and all ratepayers more for energy.

“Thankfully, we have principled lawmakers on the side of their constituents working tirelessly to oppose this bill and prevent rate hikes for Wisconsin families and businesses,” said AFP-Wisconsin State Director Megan Novak. “AFP-WI thanks Rep. Tranel for his thoughtful questions on behalf of his constituents during the joint hearing yesterday and Rep. Knodl for testifying against the bill and standing up for ratepayers.”

Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, wrote a letter to his colleagues that he released saying that leadership of the Senate and Assembly have decided the bill “must be rammed through the legislative process” to placate the utility companies.

“The ROFR bill is anti-competitive, anti-consumer and dripping in the gravy of crony capitalism,” Nass wrote. “Sadly, the debate in the Capitol surrounding ROFR is not about fair and effective energy policy for the ratepayers of this state. ROFR is nothing more than the most blatant example of everything wrong with politics in Wisconsin.”

Nass said that he believes the bill doesn’t have the needed 50 Republican votes in the Assembly or 17 Republican votes in the Senate despite the lobbyists at the capitol pushing the bill.

Nass cited an amendment to the bill that would repeal parts of the law if the president signed an executive order, Congress makes a law or a federal energy issues a rule about the process.

“The amendment developed by the utility lobbyists is dubious in legal terms and a sham to give Republicans cover to vote for ROFR,” Nass wrote. “I hope my Republican colleagues in both houses will reject this brazen attempt to deceive the people of Wisconsin.”