Update at 6:10 p.m. ET: The Senate GOP leader has ordered the arrest of 14 Democrats for leaving Wisconsin to thwart action on legislation to strip most unionized public employees of nearly all bargaining rights. The order applies only to Wisconsin, however. The AWOL Democrats decamped to Illinois.

But, as the Wisconsin State Journal points out, it's not clear whether the GOP's resolution is constitutional. The state's Constitution "prohibits the arrest of legislators while in session unless they're suspected of committing felonies, treason or breach of the peace," the paper writes.

Read a summary of the state's powers to compel absent legislators to return.

Update at 4:32 p.m. ET: Gov. Scott Walker says layoff notices will go out Friday if his anti-collective-bargaining bill is not passed, the AP reports.

By Doug Stanglin

USA TODAY

Original post: The Wisconsin Senate passed a resolution calling for police to take 14 Democrats into custody for contempt after they fled to Illinois to avoid voting on a union rights bill, the Associated Press reports.

The resolution says the absent Democrats are determined to be guilty of contempt and disorderly content.

It gives the sergeant at arms the authority to take any and all steps, with or without force and assistance from police, to bring the senators back, the AP says.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says today's action is legally different from an arrest but "definitely a shift from asking them politely."

The vote comes two weeks after the Democrats left the state to delay a vote on Republican Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to take most collective bargaining rights from public workers.