Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds state legislature's lame-duck laws limiting the powers of the incoming Governor.

Today a Wisconsin judge ruled in favor of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin in our suit against the state legislature. 

A Wisconsin judge on Thursday blocked several lightning-fast actions in December by the state legislature to limit the power of its incoming governor and preserve policies implemented by his predecessor.

A group of unions on Monday filed a fourth legal challenge to controversial laws passed by Republican leaders just before Gov. Tony Evers took office — this one contending they violate the state constitution’s separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches.

Shortly after the 2018 election, the outgoing Wisconsin legislature called a special session during which legislators passed a number of bills aimed at undermining the authority of the newly elected governor and attorney general. LWVWI filed a lawsuit, contending that the session was unconstitutional and requesting that the courts intervene to prevent the harm that these bills cause to voters.

The lawsuit contends that because the Legislature unconstitutionally convened the December 2018 “extraordinary session,” all business conducted during the “extraordinary session” is void and unenforceable.