Journal Sentinel: Madison — The Senate abruptly passed a controversial budget-repair bill Wedneday night - without Democrats - and sent the measure to the Assembly, which is expected to pass it Thursday.
The bill eliminates almost all collective bargaining for public workers.
It passed18-1, with Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) casting the no vote. None of the 14 Senate Democrats was present.[...]
But late Wednesday, a committee stripped some elements from the bill that they said allowed them to pass it with a simple majority present. The most controversial parts of the bill remain intact.
The Senate abruptly sent the budget-repair bill Wednesday to the committee of legislators from both houses at about 4 p.m. and the committee convened at 6, taking action within minutes.
The Assembly earlier had passed the original measure and now must take up the version from which fiscal matters were removed. [MORE]The Wisconsin Senate Republicans should have taken this route two weeks ago when it became quite clear the the AWOL Democrats were not going to return. This would have saved weeks of protest and certainly would not have allowed the left to sway public opinion.
The Assembly must vote on the new bill tomorrow. Between now and then I fully expect the left to raise all kinds of hell in a futile attempt to stop it. Should Wisconsin Republicans succeed in curtailing public employee's collective bargaining options, and survive doing so, then expect these measures to catch on like wildfire across the nation. This is why I also suspect that the left is going to make sure maximum chaos insures after the vote.
Via: Memeorandum
Via: Journal Sentinel Online