Gov. Tony Evers has filed a motion asking the Dane County Circuit Court to grant a temporary injunction on several provisions of the 2018 extraordinary session legislation. The plaintiffs in this challenge include a coalition of labor unions and state Sen. Janet Bewley (D-Mason). Evers, who is a defendant in the lawsuit, argues that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in their claims that provisions of 2017 Act 369 and 2017 Act 370 are unconstitutional. Note that Evers is also seeking to repeal the legislation in his 2019-21 budget proposal.
Evers’s brief claims that those provisions violate constitutional separation of powers principles by interfering with the governor’s authority to interpret the law and to prosecute cases on behalf of the state via the attorney general. The brief further argues the increased legislative oversight of agency decisions creates an unconstitutional “legislative veto” and violates constitutional bicameralism and quorum requirements.
Specifically, Evers’s brief supports the plaintiffs’ challenge of Act 370 provisions that require legislature approval of agency requests to the federal government and Act 369 provisions that
- Create a definition and public transparency requirements for agency guidance documents.
- Require the Department of Administration to send notice to the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization (JCLO) of any proposed changes to security at the capitol. JCLO then holds a 14-day passive review period on the proposed changes.
- Require a Joint Finance Committee (JFC) 14-day passive review period for any new enterprise zone proposed by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
- Allow the legislature to intervene in an action challenging the constitutionality or validity of a statute.
- Shift the authority to approve the attorney general’s compromising or discontinuing an action from the governor to JFC.
- Require JCLO authority for the attorney general to submit to JFC a settlement plan that acknowledges the unconstitutionality of a statute.
- Give JCLO the authority to acquire office space for legislative offices or legislative service agencies.
- Allow the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules to suspend a rule multiple times.
In addition to what the plaintiffs are challenging, Evers suggests the court place an injunction on Act 369 sections that
- Require agencies to cite statutes supporting any interpretation of law they publicly provide.
- Allow JCLO to intervene in cases involving the state and in other matters.
Note that Evers does not challenge the Act 369 provision codifying the recent Supreme Court decision in Tetra Tech v. DOR that eliminated the practice of courts’ deference to agency interpretations of law.
This case is one of several challenges to the extraordinary session legislation enacted in December 2018. Another lawsuit from the League of Women Voters, Disability Rights of Wisconsin, and Black Leaders for Organizing Communities argues that the extraordinary session was not convened in accordance with the Wisconsin Constitution, which authorizes the legislature to meet only as provided by law or when convened by the governor (Wis. Const. Art. IV, § 11). The Democratic Party of Wisconsin recently filed another challenge alleging that the legislation violates the U.S. Constitution.
