The Governor of Wisconsin had said that if his bill does not pass on Friday, he will issue layoff notices to 1,500 state workers. He did not say who would receive the notices, but mental health workers and correctional officers will be exempted. The Senate Republicans passed a resolution that will allow Wisconsin police to detain the 14 Democrats who left the state if they return. The measures were intended to pressure the Senators to return, but the Democrats say that they are not planning on returning to vote on the bill Friday. The resolution also contained $100 a day fines for all of the Senators. Access to the Capitol has been limited in the last week, and on Thursday a judge ordered the protesters removed, but also said that the Capitol needed to be open to the public by next week. Assembly members who objected to the removal of the protesters moved their desks to the lawns for
See "Wisconsin Governor Says He Will Begin Issuing Layoff Warnings to Unions", Monica Davey, The New York Times, March 3, 2011