98th Wisconsin Legislature explained

98th Wisconsin Legislature
Body:	Wisconsin Legislature
Before:	97th
After:	99th
Chamber1:	Senate
Membership1:	33
Control1:	Democratic
Chamber1 Leader1:	Fred Risser (D)
Chamber1 Leader2:	Tim Carpenter (D)
Chamber2:	Assembly
Membership2:	99
Control2:	Republican
Chamber2 Leader1:	Michael Huebsch (R)
Chamber2 Leader2:	Mark Gottlieb (R)
Session1 Type:	Regular

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]}

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

• 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

• 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 . Created the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board and abolished the old state elections board and state ethics board.

Party summary

Senate summary

	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^[3]	17	32		1
From Jul. 4, 2008^[4]		14	31	2
Final voting share
Beginning of the next Legislature		18	15	33	0

Assembly summary

	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
nowrap style="font-size:80%"		From Jul. 8, 2008^[5]	1				51
Final voting share
Beginning of the next Legislature		52	1	46	99	0

Sessions

• Regular session: January 3, 2007January 5, 2009
• January 2007 special session: January 11, 2007February 1, 2007
• October 2007 special session: October 15, 2007October 23, 2007
• December 2007 special session: December 11, 2007May 14, 2008
• March 2008 special session: March 12, 2008May 14, 2008
• April 2008 special session: April 17, 2008May 15, 2008

Leadership

Senate leadership

• President: Fred Risser (D - Madison)^[6]
• President pro tempore: Tim Carpenter (D - Milwaukee)

Majority leadership

• Majority Leader: Judy Robson (D - Beloit)
  • Russ Decker (D - Weston) ^[7]
• 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

• 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

• Speaker of the Assembly: Michael Huebsch (R - West Salem)^[6]
• Speaker pro tempore: Mark Gottlieb (R - Port Washington)

Majority leadership

• 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

• 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

Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:^[8]

Dist.	Senator	Party	Age (2007)	Home	First elected
01			Rep.		De Pere, Brown County	1977
02			Rep.		Green Bay, Brown County	1987
03			Dem.		Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	2002
04			Dem.		Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	2004
05			Dem.		Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County	2006
06			Dem.		Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	2003
07			Dem.		South Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	2003
08			Rep.		River Hills, Milwaukee County	1992
09			Rep.		Sheboygan, Sheboygan County	2002
10			Rep.		River Falls, Pierce County	2000
11			Rep.		Elkhorn, Walworth County	2002
12			Dem.		Eland, Shawano County	1990
	--Vacant from Jun. 4, 2008--
13			Rep.		Juneau, Dodge County	1994
14			Rep.		Ripon, Fond du Lac County	2004
15			Dem.		Beloit, Rock County	1998
16			Dem.		Monona, Dane County	2004
17			Rep.		Richland Center, Richland County	1991
18			Rep.		Oshkosh, Winnebago County	1987
	--Vacant from Jul. 4, 2008--
19			Rep.		Neenah, Winnebago County	1982
20			Rep.		West Bend, Washington County	2004
21			Dem.		Racine, Racine County	2006
22			Dem.		Pleasant Prairie, Kenosha County	1996
23			Dem.		Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County	2006
24			Dem.		Stevens Point, Portage County	2003
25			Dem.		Poplar, Douglas County	1986
26			Dem.		Madison, Dane County	1962
27			Dem.		Middleton, Dane County	1998
28			Rep.		New Berlin, Waukesha County	1998
29			Dem.		Schofield, Marathon County	1990
30			Dem.		Green Bay, Brown County	2000
31			Dem.		Alma, Buffalo County	2006
32			Rep.		La Crosse, La Crosse County	2004
33			Rep.		Brookfield, Waukesha County	2001

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:^[8]

Senate District	Assembly District	Representative	Party	Age (2007)	Home	First Elected
01	01			Rep.		Sister Bay	2000
	02			Rep.		Bellevue	1994
	03			Rep.		Forest Junction	1986
02	04			Rep.		Green Bay	1998
	05			Dem.		Kaukauna	2004
	06			Rep.		Bonduel	2006
03	07			Dem.		Milwaukee	1983
	08			Dem.		Milwaukee	1998
	09			Dem.		Milwaukee	2002
04	10			Dem.		Milwaukee	1980
	11			Dem.		Milwaukee	2004
	12			Dem.		Milwaukee	1960
05	13			Dem.		Milwaukee	1990
	14			Rep.		Wauwatosa	2002
	15			Dem.		West Allis	1996
06	16			Dem.		Milwaukee	1992
	17			Dem.		Milwaukee	2004
	18			Dem.		Milwaukee	2004
07	19			Dem.		Milwaukee	1998
	20			Dem.		Milwaukee	1998
	21			Rep.		South Milwaukee	2003
08	22			Dem.		Milwaukee	1994
	23			Rep.		Mequon	2006
	24			Rep.		Menomonee Falls	1996
09	25			Dem.		Manitowoc	1992
	26			Dem.		Sheboygan	2002
	27			Rep.		Elkhart Lake	1998
10	28			Dem.		Balsam Lake	2006
	29			Rep.		Baldwin	2006
	30			Rep.		Hudson	1998
11	31			Rep.		La Grange	1990
	32			Rep.		Williams Bay	2002
	33			Rep.		Pewaukee	2006
12	34			Rep.		Eagle River	2000
	35			Rep.		Merrill	2000
	36			Rep.		Crivitz	2004
13	37			Dem.		Fort Atkinson	2004
	38			Rep.		Oconomowoc	2004
	39			Rep.		Horicon	2000
14	40			Rep.		Waupaca	2006
	41			Rep.		Markesan	2004
	42			Rep.		Oxford	2001
15	43			Dem.		Whitewater	2006
	44			Dem.		Janesville	2004
	45			Dem.		Beloit	2004
16	46			Dem.		Sun Prairie	2004
	47			Rep.		Cambria	1990
	48			Dem.		Madison	2004
17	49			Dem.		Fennimore	2006
	50			Rep.		Reedsburg	1991
	51			Dem.		Dodgeville	2006
18	52			Rep.		Fond du Lac	1998
	53			Rep.		Oshkosh	1992
	54			Dem.		Oshkosh	2006
19	55			Rep.		Neenah	1990
	56			Rep.		Appleton	2006
	57			Rep.		Appleton	1996
20	58			Rep.		West Bend	2004
	59			Rep.		Cascade	2002
	60			Rep.		Port Washington	2002
21	61			Dem.		Racine	1990
	62			Dem.		Racine	2006
	63			Rep.		Caledonia	2004
22	64			Dem.		Kenosha	1993
	65			Dem.		Pleasant Prairie	1996
	66			Rep.		Randall	2000
23	67			Rep.		Chippewa Falls	2002
	68			Rep.		Eau Claire	2004
	69			Rep.		Abbotsford	1998
24	70			Dem.		Milladore	2002
	71			Dem.		Stevens Point	2003
	72			Dem.		Wisconsin Rapids	1970
25	73			Dem.		Superior	1986
	74			Dem.		Port Wing	1998
	75			Dem.		Rice Lake	1984
26	76			Dem.		Madison	1998
	77			Dem.		Madison	1984
	78			Dem.		Madison	1998
27	79			Dem.		Verona	2002
	80			Rep.		Oregon	2004
	81			Dem.		Waunakee	1978
28	82			Rep.		Greendale	1978
	83			Rep.		Waterford	1994
	84			Rep.		New Berlin	1998
29	85			Dem.		Wausau	2004
	86			Rep.		Marathon	1998
	87			Rep.		Medford	2002
30	88			Dem.		Green Bay	2006
	89			Rep.		Marinette	2006
	90			Rep.		Green Bay	2002
31	91			Dem.		Whitehall	1982
	92			Rep.		Black River Falls	1984
	93			Dem.		Eau Claire	2006
32	94			Rep.		West Salem	1994
	95			Dem.		La Crosse	2000
	96			Rep.		Westby	2004
33	97			Rep.		Waukesha	2006
	98			Rep.		Pewaukee	2006
	99			Rep.		Hartford	2004

External links

• 2007 - 2008 Session from Wisconsin Legislature

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2007 Senate Joint Resolution 1 . Wisconsin State Legislature.
2. State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2021–2022 . 2021 . Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau . 978-1-7333817-1-0 . Barish . Lawrence S. . Lemanski . Lynn . https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2021_2022/160_historical_lists.pdf . Historical Lists . 467, 471, 477, 479–480 . April 3, 2023 .
3. Democrat Roger Breske (12th District) resigned to accept appointment as state commissioner of railroads.
4. Republican Carol Roessler (18th District) resigned.
5. Republican Jeffrey Wood (67th District) changed his party affiliation to Independent.
6. State of Wisconsin 2007 - 2008 Blue Book . Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau . 2007 . 978-0-9752820-2-1 . Barish . Lawrence S. . Lemanski . Lynn . https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2007_2008/204_officers.pdf . Officers . 18–19 . April 9, 2023 .
7. News: Robson out, Decker in as Senate majority head . . October 25, 2007 . 4 . April 9, 2023 . .
8. State of Wisconsin 2007 - 2008 Blue Book . 2007 . . Barish . Lawrence S. . Lemanski . Lynn . Biographies . 18–86 . January 26, 2024 .