The Seventy-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 14, 1959, to May 27, 1960, in regular session.[1]
| 74th Wisconsin Legislature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
 Wisconsin State Capitol | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Wisconsin Legislature | ||||
| Meeting place | Wisconsin State Capitol | ||||
| Term | January 5, 1959 – January 2, 1961 | ||||
| Election | November 4, 1958 | ||||
| Senate | |||||
| Members | 33 | ||||
| Senate President | Philleo Nash (D) | ||||
| President pro tempore | Frank E. Panzer (R) | ||||
| Party control | Republican | ||||
| Assembly | |||||
| Members | 100 | ||||
| Assembly Speaker | George Molinaro (D) | ||||
| Party control | Democratic | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
| |||||
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, 1958. 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, 1956.[1]
Major events edit
- January 5, 1959: Inauguration of Gaylord Nelson as the 35th Governor of Wisconsin.
- February 16, 1959: Fidel Castro became premier of Cuba.
- April 25, 1959: The St. Lawrence Seaway opened to traffic, linking the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
- August 21, 1959: Hawaii was admitted as the 50th U.S. state.
- April 5, 1960: Voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to allow the state to take on debt to pay for port improvements.
- May 6, 1960: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1960 into law.
- September 14, 1960: The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
- November 8, 1960: 1960 United States general election:
- John F. Kennedy (D) elected President of the United States.
- Gaylord Nelson (D) re-elected Governor of Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to set a county and municipal debt limit of five percent of taxable property.
Major legislation edit
- July 24, 1959: An Act ... relating to group health insurance and the group life insurance program for state employes, granting rule-making authority and making an appropriation, 1959 Act 211. Created group life and health insurance programs for state employees.
- July 31, 1959: An Act ... relating to the abolition of the department of budget and accounts, bureau of engineering, bureau of personnel, bureau of purchases, division of departmental research and the creation of a state department of administration, a board on government operations and making appropriations, 1959 Act 228. Created the Wisconsin Department of Administration.
- September 19, 1959: An Act ... relating to the abolition of the state planning division, division of industrial development, the creation of a department of resource development, and increasing the appropriation to the university of Wisconsin, 1959 Act 442. Created the Wisconsin Department of Resource Development.
- October 2, 1959: An Act ... relating to rights of employes of local units of government to form and join labor organizations, 1959 Act 509. Allowed Wisconsin municipal employees to unionize.
- 1959 Joint Resolution 15: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the state to take on debt to pay for port improvements. This amendment was ratified at the April 1960 election.
- 1959 Joint Resolution 32: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to set a county and municipal debt limit of five percent of taxable property. This amendment was ratified at the November 1960 election.
Party summary edit
Senate summary edit
Democratic: 13 seats
Republican: 20 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 10 | 22 | 32 | 1 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 13 | 20 | 33 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 39.39% | 60.61% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 13 | 20 | 33 | 0 |
Assembly summary edit
Democratic: 55 seats
Republican: 45 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 33 | 66 | 99 | 1 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 55 | 45 | 100 | 0 |
| From Apr. 23, 1960[note 1] | 54 | 99 | 1 | |
| Final voting share | 54.55% | 45.45% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 45 | 55 | 100 | 0 |
Sessions edit
- Regular session: January 14, 1959 – May 27, 1960
Leaders edit
Senate leadership edit
- President of the Senate: Philleo Nash (D)
- President pro tempore: Frank E. Panzer (R–Oakfield)
- Majority leader: Robert S. Travis (R–Platteville)
- Minority leader: Henry Maier (D–Milwaukee)
Assembly leadership edit
- Speaker of the Assembly: George Molinaro (D–Kenosha)
- Majority leader: Keith C. Hardie (D–Taylor)
- Minority leader: David Blanchard (R–Edgerton)
Members edit
Members of the Senate edit
Members of the Senate for the Seventy-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]
Democratic: 13 seats
Republican: 20 seats
Members of the Assembly edit
Members of the Assembly for the Seventy-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:[2]
Democratic: 55 seats
Republican: 45 seats
Committees edit
Senate committees edit
- Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture – J. E. Leverich, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Conservation – C. Krueger, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Education – W. W. Clark, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Governmental and Veterans Affairs – L. P. O'Brien, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Highways – J. Miller, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Interstate Cooperation – F. E. Panzer, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary – A. Busby, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Labor, Taxation, Insurance, and Banking – W. Trinke, chair
- Senate Standing Committee on Public Welfare – P. P. Carr, chair
- Senate Special Committee on Committees – J. Miller, chair
- Senate Special Committee on Contingent Expenditures – R. Bice, chair
- Senate Special Committee on Legislative Procedure – F. E. Panzer, chair
Assembly committees edit
- Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture – J. T. Pritchard, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Manufactures – L. L. Merz, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Conservation – H. F. Pellant, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures – J. Kostuck, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Education – K. C. Hardie, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Elections – S. R. Sobocinski, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed Bills – G. Talsky, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled Bills – E. W. Warren, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and Fees – E. J. Ryczek, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Highways – R. T. Huber, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and Banking – G. Sokolowski, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on the Judiciary – W. W. Ward, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Labor – A. J. Flannigan, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Municipalities – N. Sussman, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Printing – B. A. Riehle, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Public Welfare – I. N. Coggs, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Revision – D. Mogilka, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Rules – K. C. Hardie, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on State Affairs – C. J. Schmidt, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Taxation – R. A. Perala, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Third Reading – R. E. Naleid, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Transportation – F. Christopherson, chair
- Assembly Standing Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs – J. A. Greco, chair
Joint committees edit
- Joint Standing Committee on Finance – W. Draheim (Sen.) & F. A. Risser (Asm.), co-chairs
- Joint Standing Committee on Revisions, Repeals, and Uniform Laws – G. Lorge (Sen.) & T. J. Duffey (Asm.), co-chairs
- Joint Legislative Council – G. Molinaro, chair
Employees edit
Senate employees edit
- Chief Clerk: Lawrence R. Larsen[3]
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Harold Damon
Assembly employees edit
- Chief Clerk: Norman C. Anderson[3]
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Thomas H. Browne
Notes edit
- ^ Democrat Robert M. Curley (Milwaukee County) resigned to accept appointment as a Wisconsin circuit court judge.
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 August 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1960). "Biographies". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1960 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. pp. 19–64. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1960). "The Legislative Branch". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1960 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. pp. 292–302. Retrieved October 10, 2023.