Michigan’s right-to-work law will face the courts today after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit to ask judges to strike it down.
The ACLU filed a complaint in January arguing the state violated the Open Meetings Act when it closed the Capitol to the public while right-to-work legislation was under deliberation in early December.
The Open Meetings Act mandates meetings for taxpayer-funded organizations, such as the MSU Board of Trustees or the Michigan legislature, be open to the public.
The legislature passed the right-to-work bill, which gives employees the ability to opt out of joining workplace unions, through both chambers during the lame duck session while protesters gathered en masse outside. As the crowd thickened and space inside the building grew tight, state officials closed the Capitol doors to restrict access to the proceedings.
Right-to-work officially took effect March 28.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that hundreds still were able to view the proceedings, and officials needed to close the Capitol for safety reasons.
Ingham County Circuit Court Judge William Collette will hear the case at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Mason.
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