99th Wisconsin Legislature
Introduction The '''Ninety-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature''' convened from January 5, 2009, through January 3, 2011, in regular session, though it adjourned for legislative activity on May 26, 2010.The legislature also held two special sessions and four extraordinary sessions during this legislative term.This session represented the first time the Democratic Party of Wisconsin held full control of state government since 1986.Senators representing even-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 even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 4, 2008.Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of their four-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 7, 2006.
Major events * January 20, 2009: Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. * February 17, 2009: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law by President Obama. * March 6, 2009: The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 6,443.27, its lowest level of the financial crisis of 2007–2008.It was 54% from its peak at 14,164 on October 9, 2007. * May 12, 2009: The Wisconsin Senate called an extraordinary session to deal with Assembly Bill 255relating to eligibility for unemployment benefits and other matters relating to disbursement of funds from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. * June 9, 2009: The Wisconsin Senate called an extraordinary session to deal with Senate Bill 232relating to payment of funds to state public schools. * June 24, 2009: Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle called a Special session of the Legislature to act upon legislation relating to the hospital assessment, medical assistance and collecting federal revenue related to the assessment. * December 16, 2009: ** The Wisconsin Senate called an extraordinary session to deal with Senate Bill 66relating to laws on driving under the influence of alcohol. ** Governor Doyle called a special session of the Legislature to act on Senate Bill 405 and Assembly Bill 534relating to rules governing the Milwaukee Public Schools. * November 2, 2010:** Scott Walker (R) elected Governor of Wisconsin. ** Ron Johnson (R) elected United States senator from Wisconsin.
Major legislation * January 29, 2009: Act relating to payment of Wisconsin supplemental and extended unemployment insurance benefits in this state. 2009 Wisc. Act 1* May 15, 2009: Act relating to eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits and payment of extended benefits; excluding recovery and reinvestment act moneys from the calculation of expenditure restraint payments; eligibility for participation in the programs of a community action agency; financial assistance under the Clean Water Fund Program and the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program; the confidentiality of pupil records provided to the Department of Public Instruction; financial assistance for criminal justice programs; authorizing political subdivisions to make residential energy efficiency improvement loans and impose special charges for the loans; definition of low-income household under energy and weatherization assistance programs; eligibility and notice changes for state continuation of coverage for health insurance; changes to enterprise zone jobs credits; state aid to school districts; providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures; granting rule-making authority; and making an appropriation. 2009 Wisc. Act 11* June 11, 2009: Act relating to the payment of state school aid in June 2009.2009 Wisc. Act 23* December 22, 2009: Act relating to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. 2009 Wisc. Act 100lowering the legal blood-alcohol limit for operating a vehicle from 0.1 to 0.08, among other changes to law. * May 18, 2010: Act relating to financial assistance related to bioenergy feedstocks, biorefineries, and conversion to biomass energy; the definition of the term agricultural use for the purpose of determining the assessed value of a parcel of land; requiring a strategic bioenergy feedstock assessment; creation of a bioenergy council; the agricultural and forestry diversification programs; biofuels training assessment; a study of regulatory burdens relating to biofuel production facilities; marketing orders and agreements for bioenergy feedstocks; exempting personal renewable fuel production and use from the motor vehicle fuel tax, the petroleum inspection fee, and business tax registration requirements; an income and franchise tax credit for installing or retrofitting pumps that mix motor vehicle fuels from separate storage tanks; offering gasoline that is not blended with ethanol to motor fuel dealers; state renewable motor vehicle fuels sales goals; use of petroleum-based transportation fuels by state vehicles; use of alternative fuels in flex fuel vehicles owned by the state; use of public alternative fuel refueling facilities; duties of the Office of Energy Independence; granting rule-making authority; requiring the exercise of rule-making authority; making appropriations; and providing penalties. 2009 Wisc. Act 401
Party summary ===Senate summary===Senate Partisan composition  Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)Total Dem. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 17 14 31 2 Start of Reg. Session  18 15 33 0Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 14 19 33 0===Assembly summary===Assembly Partisan composition   Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalDem.Ind.Rep.Vacant End of previous Legislature 47 0 52 99 0 Start of Reg. Session  52 1 46 99 0 From May 12, 2010 51 98 1 From Jun. 21, 2010 50 2 From Jul. 31, 2010 45 97 2 From Sep. 20, 2010 49 96 3Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 38 1 57 96 3
Sessions * '''Regular session:''' January 5, 2009May 26, 2010* '''May 2009 extraordinary session:''' May 12, 2009May 13, 2009* '''June 2009 extraordinary session:''' June 9, 2009June 11, 2009* '''June 2009 special session:''' June 24, 2009June 27, 2009* '''December 2009 extraordinary session:''' December 16, 2009* '''December 2009 special session:''' December 16, 2009March 4, 2010* '''December 2010 extraordinary session:''' December 15, 2010December 16, 2010
Leadership ===Senate leadership===* President of the Senate: Fred Risser (D–Madison)* President pro tempore: Pat Kreitlow (D–Chippewa Falls)==== Senate majority leadership ====* Majority Leader: Russ Decker (D–Weston)* Assistant Majority Leader: Dave Hansen (D–Green Bay)* Majority Caucus Chair: John W. Lehman (D–Racine)* Majority Caucus Vice Chair: Kathleen Vinehout (D–Alma)* Majority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Jim Holperin (D–Conover)====Senate minority leadership ====* Minority Leader: Scott L. Fitzgerald (R–Juneau)* Assistant Minority Leader: Glenn Grothman (R–West Bend)* Minority Caucus Chair: Joe Leibham (R–Sheboygan)* Minority Caucus Vice Chair: Sheila Harsdorf (R–River Falls)===Assembly leadership===* Speaker of the Assembly: Michael J. Sheridan (D–Janesville)* Speaker pro tempore: Tony Staskunas (D–West Allis)==== Assembly majority leadership ====* Assembly Majority Leader: Tom Nelson (D–Kaukauna)* Assistant Majority Leader: Donna J. Seidel (D–Wausau)* Assembly Caucus Chair: Peter W. Barca (D–Kenosha)* Assembly Caucus Vice Chair: Barbara Toles (D–Milwaukee)* Assembly Caucus Secretary: Ann Hraychuck (D–Balsam Lake)* Assembly Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Marlin Schneider (D–Wisconsin Rapids)==== Assembly minority leadership ====* Assembly Minority Leader: Jeff Fitzgerald (R–Horicon)* Assistant Minority Leader: Mark Gottlieb (R–Port Washington)* Assembly Caucus Chair: Scott Suder (R–Abbotsford)* Assembly Caucus Vice Chair: Joel Kleefisch (R–Oconomowoc)* Assembly Caucus Secretary: Mary Williams (R–Medford)* Assembly Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Gary Tauchen (R–Bonduel)
Members ===Members of the Senate===Members of the Senate for the Ninety-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:Senate partisan representation  Dist. Senator  Party  Age(2009)  Home   Firstelected 01  Rep.  Rockland, 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. Conover, Shawano County 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.   Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County 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-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:Assembly partisan representation   SenateDistrictAssemblyDistrictRepresentativePartyAge(2009)HomeFirstElected 01 01  Rep. Sister Bay 2000 02  Dem. Francis Creek 2008 03  Rep.  Brillion 1986 02 04  Rep.  Green Bay 1998 05  Dem. Kaukauna 2004 06  Rep.  Bonduel 2006 03 07  Dem. Milwaukee 1983 08   Dem. Milwaukee 1998 ''--Vacant from Sep. 20, 2010--'' 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. Whitefish Bay 2008 23  Rep.  Mequon 2006 24  Rep.  Germantown 2008 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  Dem. Baraboo 2008 15 43  Dem. Whitewater 2006 44  Dem. Janesville 2004 45  Dem. Beloit 2004 16 46  Dem. Sun Prairie 2004 47  Rep.  Lodi 2008 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 2008 54  Dem. Oshkosh 2006 19 55  Rep.  Neenah 1990 56  Rep.  Appleton 2006 57  Dem. Appleton 2008 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 1984 65  Dem. Pleasant Prairie 1996 66  Rep.  Randall 2000 23 67  Ind. Chippewa Falls 2002 68  Dem. Eau Claire 2008 69  Rep.  Abbotsford 1998 24 70  Dem. Milladore 2002 71  Dem. Stevens Point 2003 72  Dem. Wisconsin Rapids 1970 25 73  Dem. Superior 2008 74   Dem. Port Wing 1998 ''--Vacant from May 12, 2010--'' 75  Dem. Rice Lake 1984 26 76  Dem. Madison 1998 77  Dem. Madison 1984 78  Dem. Madison 1998 27 79  Dem. Middleton 2002 80  Rep.  Oregon 2004 81  Dem. Madison 2008 28 82  Rep.  Greendale 1978 83  Rep.  Waterford 1994 84   Rep.  New Berlin 1998 ''--Vacant from Jul. 31, 2010--'' 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. Trempealeau 2008 92  Dem. Black River Falls 2008 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
Employees ===Senate employees===* Chief Clerk: Robert J. Marchant* Sergeant-at-Arms: Edward A. Blazel===Assembly employees===* Chief Clerk: Patrick E. Fuller* Sergeant-at-Arms: William M. Nagy
Changes from the 98th Legislature ===Open seats===* In the 12th Senate district, Democrat Roger Breske was appointed Railroad Commissioner, leaving Democrat Jim Holperin to defeat Republican Tom Tiffany. * In the 18th Senate district, Republican Carol Roessler was appointed Administrator of State and Local Finance, leaving Republican Randy Hopper to defeat Democrat Jessica King. * In the 22nd Assembly district, Democrat Sheldon Wasserman ran for the Wisconsin State Senate, leaving fellow Democrat Sandy Pasch to defeat Republican Yash Wadhwa* In the 24th Assembly district, Republican Suzanne Jeskewitz decided not to run for re-election, leaving Republican Dan Knodl to defeat Democrat Charlene Brady. * In the 47th Assembly district, Republican Eugene Hahn declined to run for re-election, leaving Republican Keith Ripp to defeat Democrat Trish O'Neil in the contest for the open seat. *In the 50th Assembly district, Republican Sheryl Albers retired, leaving Republican Ed Brooks to defeat Democrat Tom Crofton* In the 53rd Assembly district, Republican Carol Owens retired, leaving Republican Richard Spanbauer to defeat Democrat Jeff Mann. * In the 57th Assembly District, Republican Steve Wieckert retired, and Democrat Penny Bernard Schaber defeated Republican Jo Egelhoff in the general election*In the 64th Assembly District, Democrat James Kreuser became County Executive for Kenosha County, leaving former Congressman and fellow Democrat Peter Barca to retake his former seat, running unopposed in the general election. *In the 73rd Assembly district, Democrat Frank Boyle retired, leaving Democrat Nick Milroy to defeat the independent Jeff Monaghan. *In the 81st Assembly district, Democrat David Travis retired, leaving Democrat Kelda Roys to win the seat after running unopposed in the general election. *In the 91st Assembly district, Democrat Barbara Gronemus retired, leaving Democrat Chris Danou to defeat Republican Dave Hegenbarth. *In the 92nd Assembly district, Republican Terry Musser retired, leaving Democrat Mark Radcliffe to defeat Dan Hellman===Incumbents defeated===* In the 2nd Assembly district, Republican Frank Lasee was defeated in the general election by Democrat Ted Zigmunt. * In the 42nd Assembly district, Republican J.A. Hines lost his bid for re-election against Democrat Fred Clark* In the 68th Assembly district, Republican Terry Moulton was defeated by Democrat Kristen Dexter.===Other===* In the 67th Assembly district, Jeffrey Wood successfully ran for re-election as an independent after dropping his affiliation with the Republican Party in 2008.
Notes
References
External links *  2009–2010 Session from Wisconsin Legislature