WEAC Becomes Defendant in Pension Lawsuit
WEAC is now a defendant in a lawsuit challenging the legality of the
pension improvement bill signed into law this winter.
The state Department of Employee Trust Funds and the Employee Trust
Funds Board originally filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality
of the new law, 1999 Wis. Act 11, which would improve benefits for most
participants in the Wisconsin Retirement System.
WEAC had sought to intervene in support of the law, arguing the law
significantly benefits members and is legal.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently ruled DETF has no legal standing
to sue the Department of Administration challenging Act 11. Justices
replaced DETF with the Wisconsin Professional Police Association and
the State Engineers Association as the petitioners, and made WEAC one
of the defendants.
Reserve Judge Michael Barron was appointed to oversee the process of
developing a stipulation of facts and will submit his findings to the
Supreme Court by April 10. Justices will then decide whether to take
the case or send it to lower courts.
Posted February 18, 1999