The Wisconsin legislature passed a bill Tuesday allowing the pharmaceutical company Pfizer to use its facility in Pleasant Prairie to ship COVID-19 vaccines to the western half of the United States.
The bill effectively removes an obstacle that slowed shipments before. Previously, third-party logistics providers needed a license from Wisconsin to transport certain shipments of vaccines to other states, including California and Missouri, thus slowing shipments from Pfizer's Pleasant Prairie facility. Tuesday's bill removes that requirement.
State Rep. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), who helped author the bill, said in a statement Tuesday that “We should be proud that Wisconsin is playing such a huge role in vaccine distribution and the jobs it is creating.”
Wanggaard and State Rep. Samantha Kerkman (R-Salem Lakes) said Pfizer has increased employment by 20 percent in anticipation of the bill, though there was no indication if Pfizer jobs would increase by that amount in Kenosha County or Wisconsin.
“This is good for the economic vitality of Kenosha County and good for the health of our nation,” said Kerkman in the statement, who is also an author of the legislation.
The bill now heads to Gov. Tony Evers for his approval.