Washington, D.C.–(ENEWSPF)–March 11, 2011. The Wisconsin state Assembly approved a bill ending collective bargaining rights for most of the state’s public employees on Thursday, as state legislators passed Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s explosive proposal, 53-42. Thousands of furious protesters had already streamed to the Capitol when Senate Republicans passed the measure on Wednesday. Democratic senators had gone to Illinois to deny the chamber the 20-member quorum required to take up bills that appropriate funds. However, the legislation was separated from the budget measure on Wednesday – the quorum requirement for other kinds of legislation is smaller – breaking a three-week stalemate. Once the bill was separated, the Republicans pushed the measure through the Senate in less than half an hour by a vote of 18-1, without any debate on the floor or a single Democrat in the room. Walker says he’ll sign the legislation as quickly as possible.
