# 80th Wisconsin Legislature

The Eightieth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 4, 1971, to January 1, 1973, in regular session, and also convened in a special session in April 1972.
The April 1972 special session was called to come to a final agreement on a pivotal redistricting plan, which eliminated an Assembly district and broke the longstanding precedent of adhering to county boundaries.
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 3, 1970. 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 5, 1968.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Patrick Lucey, of Crawford County, serving the first two years of a four-year term, having won election in the 1970 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* January 4, 1971: Inauguration of Patrick Lucey as the 38th Governor of Wisconsin.
* March 1, 1971: A bomb exploded in a restroom in the United States Capitol, the Weather Underground claimed responsibility.
* April 30, 1971: The Milwaukee Bucks won the 1971 NBA Finals.
* May 3, 1971: The 1971 May Day protests against the Vietnam War began in Washington, D.C., attempting to disrupt government operations. Over 12,000 were arrested.
* July 1, 1971: The Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution came into force when a sufficient number of states ratified.
* August 15, 1971: In what's known as the Nixon shock, U.S. President Richard Nixon signed Executive Order 11615, ending the convertibility of the U.S. dollar to gold at a fixed value. The order also imposed a 90-day freeze on wages, prices, and rents.
* December 13, 1971: Wisconsin Assembly speaker Robert T. Huber resigned his seat in the legislature to become chair of the state highway commission.
* April 4, 1972: 1972 Wisconsin Spring election:
** Wisconsin voters ratified four amendments to the state constitution:
*** Allowing the legislature to create alternative systems of county government.
*** Allowing counties the option to retain the office of coroner or replace it with a medical examiner.
*** Allowing public school buildings to be utilized for civic, religious, or charitable events during non-school hours.
*** Allowing public school students to receive separate religious instruction outside of public school facilities during school hours.
* June 17, 1972: Five Nixon campaign operatives were arrested trying to break into the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate in Washington, D.C.
* November 7, 1972:
** Richard Nixon (R) re-elected President of the United States.

## Major legislation

* November 19, 1971: An Act ... relating to redistricting this state pursuant to the congressional apportionment based on the 1970 census of population, 1971 Act 133.
* May 8, 1972: An Act ... relating to districting the senate and assembly based on the number of inhabitants shown by the certified results of the 1970 census of population, 1971 Act 304.

## Party summary
### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 11 | 21 | 32 | 1 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 12 | 20 | 32 | 1 |
| From May 4, 1971 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 39.39% | 60.61% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 15 | 18 | 33 | 0 |

### Assembly summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Ind. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 48 | 1 | 51 | 100 | 0 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 67 | 0 | 33 | 100 | 0 |
| From Jan. 19, 1971 | 66 | 0 | 33 | 99 | 1 |
| From Apr. 13, 1971 | 66 | 0 | 34 | 100 | 0 |
| From May 4, 1971 | 65 | 0 | 34 | 99 | 1 |
| From Sep. 20, 1971 | 66 | 0 | 34 | 100 | 0 |
| From Dec. 13, 1971 | 65 | 0 | 34 | 99 | 1 |
| From Apr. 19, 1972 | 66 | 0 | 34 | 100 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 66% | 34% | 34% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 62 | 0 | 37 | 99 | 0 |

## Sessions

* Regular session: January 4, 1971 – January 1, 1973
* April 1972 special session: April 19, 1972 – April 28, 1972

## Leaders
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Martin J. Schreiber (D)
* President pro tempore: Robert P. Knowles (R–New Richmond)
* Majority leader: Ernest Keppler (R–Sheboygan)
* Minority leader: Fred Risser (D–Madison)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: Robert T. Huber (D–West Allis) (until Dec. 13, 1971)
** Norman C. Anderson (D–Madison) (from Dec. 17, 1971)
* Speaker pro tempore: Joseph Sweda (D–Lublin)
* Majority leader: Norman C. Anderson (D–Madison) (until Dec. 17, 1971)
** Tony Earl (D–Wausau) (from Dec. 17, 1971)
* Minority leader: Harold V. Froehlich (R–Appleton)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Eightieth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Counties | Senator | Residence | Party |
| 01 | Door, Kewaunee, & Manitowoc | Jerome Martin | Whitelaw | Dem. |
| 02 | Southern Brown & Calumet | Myron P. Lotto | Green Bay | Rep. |
| 03 | Milwaukee (Southwest City) | Casimir Kendziorski | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 04 | Milwaukee (North County) | Nile Soik | Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 05 | Milwaukee (Northwest City) | Wilfred Schuele | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 06 | Milwaukee (North City) | --Vacant until May 4, 1971-- | --Vacant until May 4, 1971-- | --Vacant until May 4, 1971-- |
| 06 | Milwaukee (North City) | Mark Lipscomb Jr. (from May 4, 1971) | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 07 | Milwaukee (Southeast County & Southeast City) | Kurt Frank | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 08 | Milwaukee (Western County) | Allen Busby | West Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 09 | Milwaukee (City Downtown) | Ronald G. Parys | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 10 | Buffalo, Burnett, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, & St. Croix | Robert P. Knowles | New Richmond | Rep. |
| 11 | Milwaukee (Western City) | Wayne F. Whittow | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 12 | Clark, Forest, Lincoln, Oneida, Taylor, & Vilas | Clifford Krueger | Merrill | Rep. |
| 13 | Eastern Dodge, Jefferson, & Washington | Dale McKenna | Jefferson | Dem. |
| 14 | Outagamie & Waupaca | Gerald Lorge | Bear Creek | Rep. |
| 15 | Eastern Rock & Walworth | James D. Swan | Elkhorn | Rep. |
| 16 | Most of Dane & Western Rock | Carl W. Thompson | Stoughton | Dem. |
| 17 | Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, & Richland | Gordon Roseleip | Darlington | Rep. |
| 18 | Fond du Lac & Western Dodge | Walter G. Hollander | Rosendale | Rep. |
| 19 | Winnebago | Jack D. Steinhilber | Oshkosh | Rep. |
| 20 | Ozaukee & Sheboygan | Ernest Keppler | Sheboygan | Rep. |
| 21 | Racine (City & Southeast County) | Henry Dorman | Racine | Dem. |
| 22 | Kenosha | Joseph Lourigan | Kenosha | Dem. |
| 23 | Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, & Washburn | Bruce Peloquin | Chippewa Falls | Dem. |
| 24 | Green Lake, Portage, Waushara, & Wood | Raymond F. Heinzen | Marshfield | Rep. |
| 25 | Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, Iron, Price, Rusk, & Sawyer | Arthur Cirilli | Superior | Rep. |
| 26 | Dane (Madison) | Fred Risser | Madison | Dem. |
| 27 | Adams, Columbia, Juneau, Marquette, & Sauk | Everett Bidwell | Portage | Rep. |
| 28 | Southwest Milwaukee, Most of Racine, & Southern Waukesha | James Devitt | Greenfield | Rep. |
| 29 | Marathon, Menominee, & Shawano | Walter Chilsen | Wausau | Rep. |
| 30 | Northern Brown, Florence, Langlade, Marinette, & Oconto | Reuben La Fave | Oconto | Rep. |
| 31 | Eau Claire, Jackson, Monroe, & Trempealeau | Raymond C. Johnson | Eau Claire | Rep. |
| 32 | Crawford, La Crosse, & Vernon | Milo Knutson | La Crosse | Rep. |
| 33 | Waukesha (Northern half) | Roger P. Murphy | Waukesha | Rep. |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Eightieth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate Dist. | County | Dist. | Representative | Party | Residence |
| 27 | Adams, Juneau, & Marquette | Adams, Juneau, & Marquette | Tommy Thompson | Rep. | Elroy |
| 25 | Ashland, Bayfield, & Iron | Ashland, Bayfield, & Iron | Ernest J. Korpela | Dem. | Washburn |
| 23 | Barron & Washburn | Barron & Washburn | Kenneth M. Schricker | Rep. | Spooner |
| 02 | Brown | 1 | Jerome Quinn | Rep. | Green Bay |
| 02 | Brown | 2 | Lawrence J. Kafka | Rep. | New Denmark |
| 02 | Brown | 3 | Cletus J. Vanderperren | Dem. | Green Bay |
| 10 | Buffalo, Pepin, & Pierce | Buffalo, Pepin, & Pierce | Michael P. Early | Dem. | River Falls |
| 10 | Burnett & Polk | Burnett & Polk | Harvey L. Dueholm | Dem. | Luck |
| 02 | Calumet | Calumet | Gervase Hephner | Dem. | Chilton |
| 23 | Chippewa | Chippewa | Terry A. Willkom | Dem. | Chippewa Falls |
| 12 | Clark | Clark | Eugene Oberle | Dem. | Stanley |
| 27 | Columbia | Columbia | Robert M. Thompson | Dem. | Poynette |
| 32 | Crawford & Vernon | Crawford & Vernon | Bernard Lewison | Rep. | Viroqua |
| 26 | Dane | 1 | Norman C. Anderson | Dem. | Madison |
| 26 | Dane | 2 | Edward Nager | Dem. | Madison |
| 26 | Dane | 3 | Midge Miller | Dem. | Madison |
| 16 | Dane | 4 | Harland E. Everson | Dem. | Sun Prairie |
| 16 | Dane | 5 | David D. O'Malley | Dem. | Waunakee |
| 13 | Dodge | 1 | Esther Doughty Luckhardt | Rep. | Horicon |
| 18 | Dodge | 2 | Thomas S. Hanson | Dem. | Beaver Dam |
| 01 | Door & Kewaunee | Door & Kewaunee | Lary J. Swoboda | Dem. | Luxemburg |
| 25 | Douglas | Douglas | Edward Stack | Dem. | Superior |
| 23 | Dunn | Dunn | Alvin Baldus | Dem. | Menomonie |
| 31 | Eau Claire | 1 | Joseph Looby | Dem. | Eau Claire |
| 31 | Eau Claire | 2 | Louis V. Mato | Dem. | Fairchild |
| 30 | Florence & Marinette | Florence & Marinette | William LaFave | Rep. | Peshtigo |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 1 | Earl F. McEssy | Rep. | Fond du Lac |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 2 | William S. Schwefel | Rep. | Oakfield |
| 12 | Forest, Oneida, & Vilas | Forest, Oneida, & Vilas | Ellsworth K. Gaulke | Dem. | Lac du Flambeau |
| 17 | Grant | Grant | James N. Azim Jr. | Rep. | Muscoda |
| 17 | Green & Lafayette | Green & Lafayette | Joseph E. Tregoning | Rep. | Shullsburg |
| 24 | Green Lake & Waushara | Green Lake & Waushara | Jon P. Wilcox | Rep. | Wautoma |
| 17 | Iowa & Richland | Iowa & Richland | Joanne M. Duren | Dem. | Cazenovia |
| 31 | Jackson & Trempealeau | Jackson & Trempealeau | John Q. Radcliffe (res. Jan. 19, 1971) | Dem. | Strum |
| 31 | Jackson & Trempealeau | Jackson & Trempealeau | Alan S. Robertson (from Apr. 13, 1971) | Rep. | Blair |
| 13 | Jefferson | Jefferson | Byron F. Wackett | Rep. | Watertown |
| 22 | Kenosha | 1 | George Molinaro | Dem. | Kenosha |
| 22 | Kenosha | 2 | Eugene Dorff | Dem. | Kenosha |
| 32 | La Crosse | 1 | Gerald Greider | Rep. | La Crosse |
| 32 | La Crosse | 2 | Virgil Roberts | Dem. | Holmen |
| 30 | Langlade & Oconto | Langlade & Oconto | Milton McDougal | Rep. | Oconto Falls |
| 12 | Lincoln & Taylor | Lincoln & Taylor | Joseph Sweda | Dem. | Lublin |
| 01 | Manitowoc | 1 | Donald K. Helgeson | Rep. | Manitowoc |
| 01 | Manitowoc | 2 | Everett E. Bolle | Dem. | Two Rivers |
| 29 | Marathon | 1 | Laurence J. Day | Dem. | Athens |
| 29 | Marathon | 2 | Tony Earl | Dem. | Wausau |
| 29 | Menominee & Shawano | Menominee & Shawano | Herbert J. Grover | Dem. | Shawano |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 1 | Mark Lipscomb Jr. (res. May 4, 1971) | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 1 | Gus Menos (from Sep. 20, 1971) | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 2 | Joseph E. Jones | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 3 | Dennis Conta | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 09 | Milwaukee | 4 | Harout O. Sanasarian | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 5 | Paul Sicula | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 09 | Milwaukee | 6 | Lloyd Barbee | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 7 | William A. Johnson | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 11 | Milwaukee | 8 | Joseph Czerwinski | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 9 | Robert L. Jackson Jr. | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 11 | Milwaukee | 10 | Fred Kessler | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 11 | Raymond J. Tobiasz | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 12 | Sam L. Orlich | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 09 | Milwaukee | 13 | Glenn E. Bultman | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 14 | Jerry Kleczka | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 15 | James W. Wahner | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 11 | Milwaukee | 16 | Richard E. Pabst | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 17 | John E. McCormick | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 18 | David G. Berger | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 19 | Daniel D. Hanna | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 08 | Milwaukee | 20 | George Klicka | Rep. | Wauwatosa |
| 08 | Milwaukee | 21 | James J. Lynn | Dem. | West Allis |
| 08 | Milwaukee | 22 | Robert T. Huber (res. Dec. 13, 1971) | Dem. | West Allis |
| 08 | Milwaukee | 22 | Gary J. Barczak (from Apr. 19, 1972) | Dem. | West Allis |
| 28 | Milwaukee | 23 | James A. Rutkowski | Dem. | Hales Corners |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 24 | William P. Atkinson | Dem. | South Milwaukee |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 25 | Jim Sensenbrenner | Rep. | Shorewood |
| 31 | Monroe | Monroe | Robert Quackenbush | Rep. | Sparta |
| 14 | Outagamie | 1 | Harold V. Froehlich | Rep. | Appleton |
| 14 | Outagamie | 2 | William J. Rogers | Dem. | Kaukauna |
| 14 | Outagamie | 3 | Ervin Conradt | Rep. | Shiocton |
| 20 | Ozaukee | Ozaukee | Herbert Schowalter | Rep. | Saukville |
| 24 | Portage | Portage | Leonard A. Groshek | Dem. | Stevens Point |
| 25 | Price, Rusk & Sawyer | Price, Rusk & Sawyer | John W. Slaby | Dem. | Phillips |
| 21 | Racine | 1 | R. Michael Ferrall | Dem. | Racine |
| 21 | Racine | 2 | Manny S. Brown | Dem. | Racine |
| 28 | Racine | 3 | Merrill E. Stalbaum | Rep. | Waterford |
| 15 | Rock | 1 | Lewis T. Mittness | Dem. | Janesville |
| 16 | Rock | 2 | Janet Soergel Mielke | Dem. | Milton |
| 15 | Rock | 3 | Gary K. Johnson | Dem. | Beloit |
| 27 | Sauk | Sauk | Kenyon E. Giese | Rep. | Sauk City |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 1 | Carl Otte | Dem. | Sheboygan |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 2 | Vernon R. Boeckmann | Dem. | Plymouth |
| 10 | St. Croix | St. Croix | Leo Mohn | Dem. | Woodville |
| 22 | Walworth | Walworth | Clarence J. Wilger | Rep. | Elkhorn |
| 13 | Washington | Washington | Frederick C. Schroeder | Rep. | West Bend |
| 33 | Waukesha | 1 | Kenneth Merkel | Rep. | Brookfield |
| 33 | Waukesha | 2 | John M. Alberts | Rep. | Oconomowoc |
| 33 | Waukesha | 3 | Edward Jackamonis | Dem. | Waukesha |
| 28 | Waukesha | 4 | John C. Shabaz | Rep. | New Berlin |
| 14 | Waupaca | Waupaca | Francis R. Byers | Rep. | Waupaca |
| 19 | Winnebago | 1 | Jon R. Guiles | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 19 | Winnebago | 2 | Gordon R. Bradley | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 19 | Winnebago | 3 | Michael G. Ellis | Rep. | Neenah |
| 24 | Wood | 1 | John Oestreicher | Dem. | Marshfield |
| 24 | Wood | 2 | Marlin Schneider | Dem. | Wisconsin Rapids |

## Employees
### Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: William P. Nugent
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Kenneth Nicholson

### Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: Thomas P. Fox
* Sergeant-at-Arms: William F. Quick