The state Assembly will convene Tuesday to act on its first two bills, which aim to increase the amount taxpayer money directed toward Wisconsin businesses and reduce job outsourcing.
Assembly Bill 1 would require that at least 5 percent of state and local government spending go to Wisconsin-based businesses. Assembly Bill 2 states services purchased by state agencies must take place in the United States.
In addition, the Assembly will consider a bill Wednesday that would extend unemployment compensation.
After roughly 2.6 million U.S. jobs were lost in 2008, the amount of jobs lost in the first few weeks of 2009 grew to 207,120 Monday, when seven companies announced 71,400 layoffs in one day, CNN reports.
Although Wisconsin's unemployment rate of 5.8 percent remains below the national average of 7.1, state unemployment has risen 1.2 percent since December 2007, according to the Department of Workforce Development.
These [bills] are just the first steps of our aggressive agenda to create jobs and grow our economy,"" Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, said in a statement.
Jim Bender, spokesperson for Assembly Minority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, said the first two Assembly bills would be an appropriate first step ""if they actually did something.""
""The goal of these bills is a little unknown because there's no data to show that the taxpayers are even going to save money,"" Bender said.
He said he does not think these bills will be very effective because they are not changing the law, but are simply setting goals.
State Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said he expects the bills to pass and be effective first steps to keeping and creating jobs in Wisconsin.
