The Wisconsin Supreme Court hears arguments today on a raft of issues surrounding Governor Scott Walker’s budget repair bill. Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi issued an order on May 26th, permanently blocking implementation of Act 10 and declaring Republican legislators violated Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Laws when they passed the controversial measure during a meeting of the Joint Committee of Conference on March 9th.
Sumi, who had earlier issued a temporary restraining order, said state law allows a court to nullify actions taken in violation of the Open Meetings Law. The state Supreme Court will hear oral argument on issues including whether it can exercise appellate authority to review Sumi’s final order absent the filing of an appeal, and the impact of Sumi’s final order on the pending appeal challenging the temporary restraining order.
The justices will also hear oral arguments on what’s know as a petition for supervisory writ filed by Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch. Huebsch argues Judge Sumi violated separation of powers when she invalidated the bill passed by the legislature. He wants the court to make a quick decision to allow the law to go forward, while Democratic legislative leaders argue Huebsch’s petition ought to be rejected.
