98th Wisconsin Legislature

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.

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.

The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Jim Doyle, of Dane County, serving the first two years of his second four-year term, having won re-election in the 2006 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

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: During the 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

Assembly summary

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)
• President pro tempore: Tim Carpenter (D–Milwaukee)

Majority leadership

• Majority Leader: Judy Robson (D–Beloit)
• Russ Decker (D–Weston)
• 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)
• 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:

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:

Notes

References

External links

• 2007–2008 Session from Wisconsin Legislature