FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- April 7, 2025

ROFR Lives On: Energy Monopoly Provision Resurfaces After AB 25 & SB 28 Collapse

Madison, WI — The controversial Right of First Refusal (ROFR) provision—previously at the center of Assembly Bill 25 (AB 25) and Senate Bill 28 (SB 28)—has been defeated for now, but not eliminated. Although both bills have officially died, lawmakers in Madison are actively working to tuck ROFR into a different piece of legislation, likely hoping to pass it quietly without public debate.

ROFR gives existing utility companies monopoly power over the construction and ownership of new transmission projects, effectively blocking independent developers, killing competition, and driving up costs for Wisconsin families and businesses.

Capitol sources say that a vote in the Assembly is expected on April 15, with a State Senate vote likely to follow on April 22. No specific bill has yet been confirmed, but legislators are reportedly negotiating how and where to insert the ROFR language.

Even President Trump’s own Department of Justice (DOJ) has condemned ROFR policies. In a March 2025 letter opposing similar legislation in Iowa, the DOJ warned that ROFR provisions “create risks for increased costs, reduced quality, and less reliable transmission infrastructure,” especially during a time of national energy crisis​.

“This is a dangerous, anti-competitive policy that Wisconsinites already rejected once,” said a spokesperson for H.O.T. Government, a watchdog group working to expose backroom deals in the Capitol. “Now lawmakers are hoping you’re not paying attention. Don’t let them get away with it.”

Call to Action:

Keep the pressure on. Contact your State Representative and Senator. Tell them you oppose ROFR in any form, in any bill. Demand transparency and a fair, competitive energy market.

Your voice matters—and right now, it’s needed more than ever.

Contact: info@hotgovernment.com