Green building bill progresses to Assembly

A bill to set green building standards, sponsored by state Rep. Louis Molepske Jr., D-Stevens Point, is headed to the Wisconsin Assembly. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

A bill that would set green building standards for all public buildings in Wisconsin is on its way to the Assembly floor for a vote.

The Assembly Committee on Jobs, the Economy and Small Business, on a 7-5 vote Tuesday, approved the bill introduced by state Rep. Louis Molepske Jr., D-Stevens Point.

Since introducing the bill earlier this month, Molepske offered a number of amendments, including opening the third-party verification field so that certification is not only attainable through the U.S. Green Building Council. He also removed a portion of the bill that would have allowed local governments to exceed the state’s energy code for one- and two-family homes.

Molepske said in a press release Tuesday he wants swift passage in the Assembly.

A companion bill in the state Senate still awaits a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ethics Reform and Government Operations.