Judge Grants TRO Stopping Controversial Wis. Collective Bargaining Law from Taking Effect
Seldom do alleged violations of government open meeting laws result in high-profile litigation. But a hard-fought battle to overturn decades of collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin is a rare exception.
A state court judge today issued a restraining order that temporarily blocks a controversial new law signed by Wisconsin’s governor last week from taking effect, the Washington Post reports.
Enacted last week by the Republican-controlled state legislature despite the absence of 14 Democratic lawmakers hiding out in neighboring Illinois to try to prevent a vote on the bill, the measure is expected to cripple the state’s public employee unions.
The ruling today by Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi was in response to a lawsuit filed by Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, a Democrat. It contends that a legislative joint committee violated the state’s open meeting rules by suddenly calling lawmakers into session to enact the collective bargaining measure.
Articles in the Christian Science Monitor and Los Angeles Times detail the legal issues in the case.
Earlier coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Republican Senators in Wis. Vote to Authorize Arrest of AWOL Democratic Colleagues”
ABAJournal.com: “GOP Senators in Wis. Do End Run Around Absent Dems, Find Way to Vote on Collective Bargaining Bill”
Journal Sentinel: “Legislators’ immunity at issue in open meetings case”
