Mining bill could come next week, vote in March - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

MADISON (WKOW) -- Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he expects a March vote on a bill to overhaul state mining regulations.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Monday that he expects the bill to be introduced late next week with hearings to follow later in January.

Vos would not say if those hearings will be in northern Wisconsin near Lake Superior where an iron ore mine is proposed.

Vos says he expects a vote on the bill in the spring.

Fitzgerald, a Juneau Republican, didn't offer any specifics about what would be in the bill. Both he and Vos spoke about it at separate news conferences.

Fitzgerald says it's going to be difficult to get northwestern Wisconsin's American Indian tribes on board and the bill will face inevitable court challenges.