Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi issued a temporary restraining order Friday, halting Gov. Scott Walker's law that would sharply curtail collective bargaining for public employees.
Good, but not great news, because the temporary restraining order comes only in response to a suit seeking to block the law based on the grounds that its passage violated the state's open meetings law.
Sumi said Ozanne was likely to succeed on the merits of the case.
"It seems to me the public policy behind effective enforcement of the open meeting law is so strong that it does outweigh the interest, at least at this time, which may exist in favor of sustaining the validity of the (collective bargaining law)," she said.
What's left unaddressed here are the larger constitutional questions. Even if the higher court ultimate upholds this ruling, the Republican dominated legislature can just pass it again, this time following proper procedures... though that no doubt would create more headaches for Walker and his minions. But I guess that anything that delays implementation for the moment is good news for Wisconsin's pro-democracy forces.
