(The Center Square) – The ruling that sets the stage to end Act 10 has at least one Republican lawmaker talking about limiting court shopping in Wisconsin.
State Rep. David Steffen, R-Howard, said he plans to reintroduce his court fairness plan after a Dane County judge declared Act 10 to be unconstitutional.
“The weaponization of our judicial system in ultra-liberal cities around the country makes this legislation necessary,” Steffen said.
Steffen’s plan would randomly assign lawsuits to courts throughout the state.
“By including a venue re-assignment option for either side of a court case that involves partisan parties, we will take a big step forward in reestablishing the public’s faith and confidence in the judicial process,” Steffen said. “Adding this voluntary option to request and receive a random case venue re-assignment is a very simple, but impactful way to restore the public’s confidence in our courts.”
Dane County Judge Jacob Frost on Monday struck down Act 10, writing the law unconstitutionally separated public employees into two different categories. Frost said the law cannot justify why some police officers were covered under Act 10’s collective bargaining restrictions, while others were not.
Steffen first tried with his court fairness plan in March 2023, but it failed to get enough support to go anywhere at the Wisconsin Capitol.
Steffen’s new plan will likely face similar opposition at the statehouse when the new legislature is sworn-in in January.