Lame ducks (Congresses, Legislatures, Governors, and Presidents) often do things that they should not. Republicans and Democrats have done plenty of lame duck things they shouldn't have. It's a fact of life in the U.S. system that mostly derives from long transitions having been necessary in the 18th century due to the slowness of communications and travel back then.

The long transition from FDR to Hoover caused the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to be passed and ratified which greatly shortened it -- it's still too long! One of the reasons the transition from general election to Presidential inauguration is so long is that the Electoral College has to convene, and that legal challenges to electoral results have to be resolved -- all that takes time, and some times (e.g., in 2000) it takes almost all the allotted time. Still, it could probably be made much shorter, but it would require yet another Amendment.

I suspect long transition periods in State governments have similar reasons for being.

After Walker lost, the GOP assembly, senate, and lame duck Governor passed a bunch of bills to nerf the Governor’s power.

Kelly voting with the majority is quite tame.

It's a standard transition period. Just like how presidential elections are in November while inauguration's in January.

I remember that a ton of wonky stuff has happened in the "lame duck" period, but it does seem to be standard.

I'm more confused about a court that has an even number of members... what do they do in ties?

They have 7. 1 will be replaced by another in August, based on a recent election.