With the Wisconsin Assembly holding its first session day today, state representatives are evaluating two bills that could stimulate the state’s economy by creating jobs and investing taxpayer dollars in local businesses.

The American Jobs Act would require all contract services purchased by the state with taxpayer dollars to be performed in the United States. The Wisconsin First Act would encourage state agencies to purchase 5 percent of all its goods and services from Wisconsin-based businesses and recommend local governments to follow a similar path.

“We want to evaluate where we are at,” said Rebekah Sweeney, press secretary for Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville. “It’s really unknown how much of our money is spent in Wisconsin and how much is spent out of state. Once we know the number, we can identify where we should spend.”

But the Republican minority leadership in the Assembly is not quite sure the acts would positively impact the state’s economy. According to Jim Bender, spokesperson for minority leader Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, they are “great press release bills” but would “not create a single job.”

One of the problems with the Wisconsin First Act, Bender said, is that it does not set a requirement for purchases from Wisconsin-based businesses by state agencies. Instead, it encourages a 5 percent minimum. With no data from the Department of Administration regarding in-state purchases available, the 5 percent proposed could be lower than the minimum already spent statewide.

“The city of Milwaukee is currently purchasing 18 to 19 percent [from Wisconsin businesses] as it is,” Bender said. “Why would we set a statewide benchmark of 5 percent if the biggest city in the state is three or four times greater than that?”

The bills, which were introduced in the Jobs and the Economy Committee last week and passed with bi-partisan support, could be voted on by the Assembly today. If passed, they would head to the state Senate next.

Carrie Lynch, spokesperson for Senate majority leader Russ Decker, D-Schofield, said the senator expects the American Jobs Act to pass in the Senate because legislators have previously passed similar legislation in their last session.

“Both bills would have fairly good support over here,” Lynch said.

Decker is currently evaluating the Wisconsin First Act and needs more information on what percentage of in-state purchases would be ideal, she added.

State senators are scheduled to meet on Wednesday but will not discuss the bills since they are yet to be recommended by a senate committee.

Calls to the office of Senate minority leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, were not returned as of press time.