The Sixtieth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 14, 1931, to June 27, 1931, in regular session, and reconvened in a special session from November 24, 1931, to February 5, 1932.[1]
| 60th Wisconsin Legislature | |||||
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 Wisconsin State Capitol ca.1915 | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Wisconsin Legislature | ||||
| Meeting place | Wisconsin State Capitol | ||||
| Term | January 5, 1931 – January 2, 1933 | ||||
| Election | November 4, 1930 | ||||
| Senate | |||||
| Members | 33 | ||||
| Senate President | Henry Huber (R) | ||||
| President pro tempore | Herman J. Severson (R) | ||||
| Party control | Republican | ||||
| Assembly | |||||
| Members | 100 | ||||
| Assembly Speaker | Charles B. Perry (R) | ||||
| Party control | Republican | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
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| Special sessions | |||||
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Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first two years of a four-year term. Assembly members were elected to a two-year term. Assembly members and odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 4, 1930. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 6, 1928.[1]
Major events
edit- January 5, 1931: Inauguration of Philip La Follette as the 27th Governor of Wisconsin.
- March 1, 1931: Wisconsin congressman Henry Allen Cooper (WI-01) died in office.
- December 13, 1931: The Green Bay Packers were the champions of the 1931 NFL season.
- July 8, 1932: The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached its lowest level of the Great Depression.
- July 31, 1932: The July 1932 German federal election resulted in the Nazi Party becoming the largest party in the Reichstag.
- September 20, 1932: Wisconsin partisan primary election. In the ongoing intra-party feud in the Republican Party between Progressives and Stalwarts, the Stalwarts struck back in this primary:
- Incumbent governor Philip La Follette was defeated by stalwart former governor Walter J. Kohler Sr.
- Incumbent U.S. senator John J. Blaine was defeated by stalwart John B. Chapple.
- November 8, 1932: 1932 United States general election:
- Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) elected President of the United States.
- Albert G. Schmedeman (D) elected Governor of Wisconsin.
- F. Ryan Duffy (D) elected United States senator from Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin voters ratified four amendments to the state constitution:
- to allow the Governor's salary to be set by legislation rather than fixed in the constitution
- to allow the Lieutenant Governor's salary to be set by legislation rather than fixed in the constitution
- to make technical corrections to the impeachment clause
- to allow new options for municipal indebtedness
Major legislation
editRegular session
edit- 1931 Joint Resolution 52: Joint Resolution to amend Section 5 of Article V of the constitution, relating to the compensation of the governor, so as to in effect repeal the said section, and to submit this amendment to vote of the people at the general election of November 1932. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the governor's salary to be set by legislation rather than fixed in the constitution. This amendment was ratified by voters at the November 1932 election.
- 1931 Joint Resolution 53: Joint Resolution to amend Section 9 of Article V of the constitution, relating to the compensation of the lieutenant governor, so as to in effect repeal this section, and to submit this amendment to vote of the people at the general election of November 1932. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the lieutenant governor's salary to be set by legislation rather than fixed in the constitution. This amendment was ratified by voters at the November 1932 election.
- 1931 Joint Resolution 58: Joint Resolution to amend Section 1 of Article VII of the constitution, relating to impeachments, and to submit this amendment to vote of the people at the general election of November 1932. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to make technical fixes to the impeachment section. This amendment was ratified by voters at the November 1932 election.
- 1931 Joint Resolution 71: Joint Resolution to amend section 3 of article XI of the constitution, relating to indebtedness secured by public utility and other income producing property of municipalities, and to submit this amendment to vote of the people at the general election of November, 1932. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow new options and exceptions for municipalities taking on debt. This amendment was ratified by voters at the November 1932 election.
- 1931 Joint Resolution 86: Joint Resolution to amend section 1 of article IV and article XII of the constitution to give the people the power to propose laws and amendments to the constitution and to enact or reject the same at the polls, and to approve and reject at the polls any act of the legislature. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow legislation to be proposed and enacted by public petition and referendum. This was the second time such an amendment was proposed, but this amendment also would not be enacted.
- 1931 Joint Resolution 86: Joint Resolution to amend section 1 of article III of the constitution, relating to suffrage, to eliminate obsolete provisions. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to make technical updates to the suffrage section, removing references to "male" in qualifications for electors. Legally, women already had the right to vote in Wisconsin due to the federal constitution's 19th amendment. This amendment would eventually be ratified by voters at the November 1934 election.
- 1931 Joint Resolution 125: Joint Resolution memorializing The Congress to propose an amendment to the constitution of the United States repealing the Eighteenth Amendment. One of many Wisconsin resolutions objecting to the prohibition of alcohol and seeking to limit or repeal prohibition.
Special session
edit- January 19, 1932: An Act ... relating to the banking department, the banking review board, and the regulation of banks, providing penalties, and making appropriations, 1932 Special Session Act 10. Created the state Banking Review Board.
- January 29, 1932: An Act ... relating to unemployment reserves and compensation, providing penalties, and making appropriations, 1932 Special Session Act 20. Established Wisconsin's unemployment insurance program, the first such program in the United States and a model for the future Social Security Act.
- February 8, 1932: An Act ... relating to reapportionment of assembly and senatorial districts, 1931 Special Session Act 27.
- February 8, 1932: An Act ... relating to congressional districts, 1931 Special Session Act 28. Reduced the number of Wisconsin congressional districts from 11 to 10, the first time Wisconsin lost a representative in Congress during reapportionment.
Party summary
editSenate summary
edit
Democratic: 1 seat
Socialist: 2 seats
Republican: 30 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Soc. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 0 | 2 | 31 | 33 | 0 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 1 | 2 | 30 | 33 | 0 |
| From Nov. 1, 1931[note 1] | 29 | 32 | 1 | ||
| Final voting share | 9.38% | 90.63% | |||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 9 | 1 | 23 | 33 | 0 |
Assembly summary
edit
Democratic: 3 seats
Socialist: 9 seats
Republican: 88 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Soc. | Ind. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 5 | 3 | 1 | 90 | 99 | 1 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 3 | 9 | 0 | 88 | 100 | 0 |
| From Feb. 26, 1931[note 2] | 87 | 99 | 1 | |||
| From Nov. 27, 1931[note 3] | 86 | 98 | 2 | |||
| From July 13, 1932[note 4] | 85 | 97 | 3 | |||
| From Sep. 11, 1932[note 5] | 84 | 96 | 4 | |||
| Final voting share | 12.5% | 87.5% | ||||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 59 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 100 | 0 |
Sessions
edit- Regular session: January 14, 1931 – June 27, 1931
- November 1931 special session: November 24, 1931 – February 5, 1932
Leaders
editSenate leadership
edit- President of the Senate: Henry Huber (R)
- President pro tempore: Herman J. Severson (R–Iola)
Assembly leadership
editMembers
editMembers of the Senate
editMembers of the Senate for the Sixtieth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]
Democratic: 1 seat
Socialist: 2 seats
Republican: 31 seats
Members of the Assembly
editMembers of the Assembly for the Sixtieth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]
Democratic: 3 seats
Socialist: 9 seats
Republican: 88 seats
Committees
editSenate committees
edit- Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Labor – V. S. Keppel, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Committees – W. H. Hunt, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures – P. J. Smith, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Corporations and Taxation – H. J. Severson, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public Welfare – W. H. Hunt, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Highways – J. E. Cashman, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary – W. J. Rush, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Legislative Procedure – H. J. Severson, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on State and Local Government – A. M. Miller, chair
- Senate Special Committee on Lobbying on Power Bills – W. S. Goodland, chair
Assembly committees
edit- Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture – B. J. Gehrmann, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Manufactures – W. A. Meyer, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Conservation – J. R. Fronek, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures – A. J. Baker, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Education – J. D. Millar, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Elections – J. Gamper, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed Bills – P. T. Fuhrman, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled Bills – J. Kostuck, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and Fees – A. J. Piper, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Highways – H. Ellenbecker, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and Banking – E. M. Rowlands, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on the Judiciary – R. A. Nixon, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Labor – C. W. Mauthe, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Municipalities – T. Engel, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Printing – D. F. Burnham, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Public Welfare – D. V. Smith, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Revision – G. J. Zittlow, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Rules – J. W. Carow, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on State Affairs – J. H. Kamper, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Taxation – A. A. Hitt, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Third Reading – C. Schoenebeck, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Transportation – E. D. Hall, chair
- Assembly Special Committee on Highway Investigations – D. M. Langve, chair
- Assembly Special Committee on Forest Fires – C. A. Budlong, chair
- Assembly Special Committee on Conservation Commission Investigation – C. B. Perry, chair
Joint committees
edit- Joint Standing Committee on Finance – T. M. Duncan (Sen.) & C. A. Beggs (Asm.), co-chairs
- Joint Special Committee on Congressional Reapportionment
- Joint Special Committee on Investigation of Memorial Union
- Joint Special Committee on Manufacture of Farm Machinery in State Prison
- Joint Special Committee on Northern Wisconsin Problems
- Joint Special Committee on University and Capitol Heating Plants
Employees
editSenate employees
edit- Chief Clerk: R. A. Cobban[2]
- Assistant Chief Clerk: C. J. Knoche
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Emil A. Hartman
- Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Norman J. Hippert
- Postmaster: Joseph Kernler
Assembly employees
edit- Chief Clerk: C. E. Shaffer[2]
- Journal Clerk: Charles E. Tuffley
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Gustave Rheingans
- Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Edward J. Konkol
- Postmaster: William H. Kasiska
Notes
edit- ^ Republican William Olson (17th District) died.
- ^ Republican Hans A. Aune (St. Croix County) died.
- ^ Republican William A. Kay (Pierce County) died.
- ^ Republican Joseph Schmittfranz (Clark County) died.
- ^ Republican Henry Ellenbecker (Marathon County) died.
References
edit- ^ a b Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2021). "Historical Lists" (PDF). State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2021–2022 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 468, 471, 475, 479–480. ISBN 978-1-7333817-1-0. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Witte, Edwin E.; Kelly, Alice, eds. (1931). "Legislative Branch of the State Government". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1931 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. pp. 177–246. Retrieved July 28, 2023.