The Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 3, 2007, through January 5, 2009, in regular session, though it adjourned for legislative activity on June 11, 2008. The legislature also held five special sessions during the term.[1][2]
| 98th Wisconsin Legislature | |||||||||||
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| Overview | |||||||||||
| Legislative body | Wisconsin Legislature | ||||||||||
| Meeting place | Wisconsin State Capitol | ||||||||||
| Term | January 1, 2007 – January 5, 2009 | ||||||||||
| Election | November 7, 2006 | ||||||||||
| Senate | |||||||||||
| Members | 33 | ||||||||||
| Senate President | Fred Risser (D) | ||||||||||
| President pro tempore | Tim Carpenter (D) | ||||||||||
| Party control | Democratic | ||||||||||
| Assembly | |||||||||||
| Members | 99 | ||||||||||
| Assembly Speaker | Michael Huebsch (R) | ||||||||||
| Speaker pro tempore | Mark Gottlieb (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 7, 2006. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of their four-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 2, 2004.
Major events
edit- January 9, 2007: Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone at a Macworld keynote in San Francisco.
- April 3, 2007: 2007 Wisconsin Spring election:
- Annette Ziegler was elected a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed Jon P. Wilcox.
- April 1, 2008: 2008 Wisconsin Spring election:
- Michael Gableman was elected a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, defeating incumbent justice Louis B. Butler.
- Wisconsin voters ratified an amendment to the state constitution putting some limits on the Governor's line-item veto powers.
- August 28, 2008: Barack Obama accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party for President of the United States, becoming the first African American presidential nominee of a major American political party.
- September 15, 2008: In the midst of the 2007–2008 financial crisis, Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy—the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.
- September 26, 2008: Washington Mutual filed for bankruptcy—the largest bank failure in U.S. history.
- September 29, 2008: The U.S. House of Representatives rejected the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. In response, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 777.68 points (6.98%)—at the time it was the largest point drop in the history of the exchange.
- October 3, 2008: U.S. President George W. Bush signed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier that day.
- October 6–10, 2008: The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1,874.19 points, or 18.2%, on record-breaking volume.
- November 4, 2008: Barack Obama elected President of the United States.
Major legislation
edit- February 16, 2007: An Act ... relating to: creation of a Government Accountability Board, enforcement of elections, ethics, and lobbying regulation laws, venue for prosecution of certain offenses, granting rule-making authority, making appropriations, and providing penalties (2007 Act 1). Created the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board and abolished the old state elections board and state ethics board.
Party summary
editSenate summary
edit
Democratic: 18 seats
Republican: 15 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 14 | 19 | 33 | 0 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 18 | 15 | 33 | 0 |
| From Jun. 4, 2008[note 1] | 17 | 32 | 1 | |
| From Jul. 4, 2008[note 2] | 14 | 31 | 2 | |
| Final voting share | 53.13% | 43.75% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 18 | 15 | 33 | 0 |
Assembly summary
edit
Democratic: 47 seats
Republican: 52 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Ind. | Rep. | Vacant | |||
| End of previous Legislature | 39 | 0 | 60 | 99 | 0 | |
| Start of Reg. Session | 47 | 0 | 52 | 99 | 0 | |
| From Jul. 8, 2008[note 3] | 1 | 51 | ||||
| Final voting share | 47.47% | 1.01% | 51.52% | |||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 52 | 1 | 46 | 99 | 0 | |
Sessions
edit- Regular session: January 3, 2007 – January 5, 2009
- January 2007 special session: January 11, 2007 – February 1, 2007
- October 2007 special session: October 15, 2007 – October 23, 2007
- December 2007 special session: December 11, 2007 – May 14, 2008
- March 2008 special session: March 12, 2008 – May 14, 2008
- April 2008 special session: April 17, 2008 – May 15, 2008
Leadership
editSenate leadership
edit- President: Fred Risser (D–Madison)[3]
- President pro tempore: Tim Carpenter (D–Milwaukee)
Majority leadership
edit- Majority Leader: Judy Robson (D–Beloit) (until Oct. 24, 2007)
- Russ Decker (D–Weston) (after Oct. 24, 2007)[4]
- Assistant Majority Leader: Dave Hansen (D–Green Bay)
- Majority Caucus Chair: Mark Miller (D–Monona)
- Majority Caucus Vice Chair: Jeffrey Plale (D–South Milwaukee)
- Majority Caucus Secretary: Jim Sullivan (D–Wauwatosa)
- Majority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Spencer Coggs (D–Milwaukee)
Minority leadership
edit- Minority Leader: Scott L. Fitzgerald (R–Juneau)
- Assistant Minority Leader: Joe Leibham (R–Sheboygan)
- Minority Caucus Chair: Glenn Grothman (R–West Bend)
- Minority Caucus Vice Chair: Carol Roessler (R–Oshkosh)
Assembly leadership
edit- Speaker of the Assembly: Michael Huebsch (R–West Salem)[3]
- Speaker pro tempore: Mark Gottlieb (R–Port Washington)
Majority leadership
edit- Majority Leader: Jeff Fitzgerald (R–Horicon)
- Assistant Majority Leader: Mark Gundrum (R–New Berlin)
- Majority Caucus Chair: Mark Honadel (R–South Milwaukee)
- Majority Caucus Vice Chair: Patricia Strachota (R–West Bend)
- Majority Caucus Secretary: Mary Williams (R–Medford)
- Majority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Jerry Petrowski (R–Marathon)
Minority leadership
edit- Minority Leader: James Kreuser (D–Kenosha)
- Assistant Minority Leader: Jon Richards (D–Milwaukee)
- Minority Caucus Chair: Tony Staskunas (D–West Allis)
- Minority Caucus Vice Chair: Tamara Grigsby (D–Milwaukee)
- Minority Caucus Secretary: Donna J. Seidel (D–Wausau)
- Minority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Ann Hraychuck (D–Balsam Lake)
Members
editMembers of the Senate
editMembers of the Wisconsin Senate for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:[5]
Democratic: 18 seats
Republican: 15 seats
Members of the Assembly
editMembers of the Assembly for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:[5]
Democratic: 47 seats
Republican: 52 seats
Notes
edit- ^ Democrat Roger Breske (12th District) resigned to accept appointment as state commissioner of railroads.
- ^ Republican Carol Roessler (18th District) resigned.
- ^ Republican Jeffrey Wood (67th District) changed his party affiliation to Independent.
References
edit- ^ "2007 Senate Joint Resolution 1". Wisconsin State Legislature.
- ^ Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2021). "Historical Lists" (PDF). State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2021–2022 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 467, 471, 477, 479–480. ISBN 978-1-7333817-1-0. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2007). "Officers" (PDF). State of Wisconsin 2007–2008 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- ^ "Robson out, Decker in as Senate majority head". Wisconsin State Journal. October 25, 2007. p. 4. Retrieved April 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2007). "Biographies". State of Wisconsin 2007–2008 Blue Book (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 18–86. Retrieved January 26, 2024.