MADISON, Wis. (From news reports) -- Two lawmakers have introduced legislation aimed at keeping Kimberly-Clark from closing plants in the Neenah area.

State Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton); Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauana); and Rep. Mike Rohrkaste (R-Neenah) introduced the legislation Thursday.

It would authorize the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to allow Neenah Nonwovens and Cold Spring in Fox Crossing to be eligible for a 17 percent jobs tax credit for jobs paying $30,000-$100,000.

Wisconsin law allows for a seven percent jobs tax credit. The state made an exception to the law for the new Foxconn facility in southeast Wisconsin. The legislation would allow for a similar deal for Kimberly-Clark.

Kimberly-Clark could opt for a 15 percent capital investment credit.

Kimberly-Clark announced plans to close Neenah Nonwovens and Cold Spring as part of its global restructuring plan. That plan would cut 5,000 jobs throughout the paper giant.

The closure of Neenah Nonwovens and Cold Spring facilities would impact 600 local workers.

Democrats have also introduced a plan for saving paper jobs in the Fox Valley.

State Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) and State Rep. Amanda Stuck (D-Appleton) are proposing a bill to create a papermaker fund. Thirty million dollars would help to pay for the conversion of papermaking machinery from white paper to meet the current demand for brown paper packaging.

The other $30-million would fund upgrades to current mills helping to make them more energy efficient.

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