Protesters in Madison oppose a law limiting collective bargaining rights for unions. (Photo by David Berkowitz via Flickr)

On March 18, Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi had issued a restraining order barring the law from taking effect, and she said Tuesday that that order had been previously ignored or misinterpreted.

The law had been posted Friday on a legislative website by the Legislative Reference Bureau. This move led Gov. Scott Walker's administration to say the law was in effect since publishing a law is usually the last step before a law is effective.

Walker signed the law on March 11 amid widespread protests over its provisions, which would force state workers to pay for portions of their pensions and health care costs.

According to court testimony Tuesday, Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald pressured the Legislative Reference Bureau to publish the law. The testimony was given by the agency's chief, Stephen Miller, during a hearing in Madison for a lawsuit filed by Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne. Ozanne's lawsuit seeks to extend the restraining order blocking the law.