Judge blocks Wisconsin law

In Wisconsin, Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi has made the decision to block the recent law signed by Governor Scott Walker (R) that would effectively keep public employee unions from engaging in collective bargaining.

FOX NEWS is reporting that Sumi issued the order at the request of District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, a Democrat.  Ozanne’s argument for the order is that Wisconsin Republicans failed to provide the proper notice (24 hours) of the vote.  In Wisconsin, they have an Open Meetings Law, which requires the notice.

Wisconsin has been engaged in a fierce battle over the new law, which had Democrats fleeing the state to prevent a vote from taking place.  The bill was originally an appropriations measure, which required a certain number of Democrats to be present so a quorum could be obtained.  Republicans changed the nature of the bill, removing any budgetary items from it, thus allowing it to be voted on by the members who remained in Madison to do their job.

Whether or not the judge’s decision stands remains to be seen.  However, if the Open Meetings Law requirement was not met, and now that Democrats have returned to actually do their job, will the Wisconsin Senate bring up the original bill — appropriations and all — and have a true up or down vote, or will Democrats once again be on the run?