MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Republicans in the state Senate have released their version of a bill to help a Florida company open a mine in far northwestern Wisconsin.

Gogebic Taconite wants to dig a huge open-pit iron mine just south of Lake Superior. The company wants lawmakers to streamline the state's complex permitting process before it moves forward, however.

Assembly Republicans passed a bill last month that calls for state regulators to issue a permit within a year of receiving an application, wipes out contested case hearings and blocks citizen lawsuits.

The Senate bill keeps the year timeline but allows contested case hearings. The Senate's mining committee plans to hold a public hearing on the measure at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville on Friday.