# 89th Wisconsin Legislature

The Eighty-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 3, 1989, to January 7, 1991, in regular session, and also convened in two special sessions.
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 8, 1988. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 4, 1986.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Tommy Thompson, of Juneau County, serving the second two years of a four-year term, having won election in the 1986 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* January 20, 1989: Inauguration of George H. W. Bush as the 41st President of the United States.
* April 4, 1989: 1989 Wisconsin Spring election:
** Wisconsin voters rejected an amendment to the state constitution which would have allowed the state legislature to enact progressive tax relief for state property and sales taxes.
* June 3, 1989: Forces of China's People's Liberation Army began a crackdown on the Tiananmen Square protests, ultimately resulting in many deaths.
* November 9, 1989: After an unexpected announcement of liberalization of travel policy in East Germany, crowds of civilians began demolishing the Berlin Wall, which had divided the city since the 1960s.
* February 7, 1990: The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union agreed to allow parties other than the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to compete in elections in the constituent republics of the Soviet Union.
* April 3, 1990: 1990 Wisconsin Spring election:
** Wisconsin voters ratified an amendment to the state constitution which revised the gubernatorial line-item veto power to prevent the governor from creating entire new words from vetoing parts of other words.
* August 7, 1990: U.S. President George H. W. Bush ordered American military forces to Saudi Arabia following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.
* November 6, 1990: 1990 United States general election:
** Tommy Thompson (R) re-elected Governor of Wisconsin.
* November 29, 1990: The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 678, ordering Iraq to withdraw forces from Kuwait by January 15, 1991, and empowering states to use all necessary means to force Iraq to comply with the resolution.

## Major legislation

* August 8, 1989: An Act relating to state finances and appropriations, constituting the general executive budget bill of the 1989 legislature, and making appropriations, 1989 Act 31. Vetoed in part, this act also established the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

## Party summary
### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 19 | 14 | 33 | 0 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 20 | 13 | 33 | 0 |
| From Apr. 20, 1989 | 20 | 12 | 32 | 1 |
| From Jul. 11, 1989 | 20 | 13 | 33 | 0 |
| From Sep. 1, 1989 | 19 | 13 | 32 | 1 |
| From Oct. 2, 1989 | 18 | 13 | 31 | 2 |
| From Dec. 13, 1989 | 19 | 14 | 33 | 0 |
| From Jul. 12, 1990 | 18 | 14 | 32 | 1 |
| From Aug. 1, 1990 | 18 | 13 | 31 | 2 |
| From Nov. 28, 1990 | 19 | 13 | 32 | 1 |
| Final voting share | 59.38% | 40.63% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 19 | 14 | 33 | 0 |

### Assembly summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 54 | 44 | 98 | 1 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 56 | 43 | 99 | 0 |
| From Jul. 11, 1989 | 56 | 42 | 98 | 1 |
| From Jul. 31, 1989 | 55 | 42 | 97 | 2 |
| From Sep. 22, 1989 | 55 | 43 | 98 | 1 |
| From Oct. 26, 1989 | 56 | 43 | 99 | 0 |
| From Dec. 13, 1989 | 55 | 43 | 98 | 1 |
| From Jan. 12, 1990 | 55 | 42 | 97 | 2 |
| From May 15, 1990 | 56 | 43 | 99 | 0 |
| From May 28, 1990 | 56 | 42 | 98 | 1 |
| From Jul. 1, 1990 | 55 | 42 | 97 | 2 |
| Final voting share | 56.7% | 43.3% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 58 | 41 | 99 | 0 |

## Sessions

* Regular session: January 3, 1989 – January 7, 1991
* October 1989 special session: October 10, 1989 – March 22, 1990
* May 1990 special session: May 15, 1990

## Leaders
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Fred Risser (D–Madison)

#### Senate majority leadership

* Majority Leader: Joseph A. Strohl (D–Racine)
* Assistant Majority Leader: David Helbach (D–Stevens Point)

#### Senate minority leadership

* Minority Leader: Michael G. Ellis (R–Neenah)
* Assistant Minority Leader: Brian Rude (R–Coon Valley)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: Thomas A. Loftus (D–Sun Prairie)
* Speaker pro tempore: David Clarenbach (D–Madison)

#### Assembly majority leadership

* Majority Leader: Thomas A. Hauke (D–West Allis)
* Assistant Majority Leader: Marlin Schneider (D–Wisconsin Rapids)

#### Assembly minority leadership

* Minority Leader: David Prosser Jr. (R–Appleton)
* Assistant Minority Leader: Randall J. Radtke (R–Lake Mills)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Eighty-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Senator | Party | Age (1989) | Home | First elected |
| 01 | Alan Lasee | Rep. | 51 | Rockland, Brown County | 1977 |
| 02 | Robert Cowles | Rep. | 38 | Green Bay, Brown County | 1987 |
| 03 | Brian Burke | Dem. | 30 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1988 |
| 04 | Barbara Ulichny | Dem. | 41 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1984 |
| 05 | Mordecai Lee (res. Sep. 1, 1989) | Dem. | 40 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1982 |
| 05 | Tom Barrett (from Dec. 13, 1989) | Dem. | 36 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1989 |
| 06 | Gary George | Dem. | 34 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1980 |
| 07 | John Plewa | Dem. | 43 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1984 |
| 08 | Joseph Czarnezki | Dem. | 34 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1983 |
| 09 | William Te Winkle | Dem. | 34 | Sheboygan, Sheboygan County | 1986 |
| 10 | Richard Shoemaker (res. Oct. 2, 1989) | Dem. | 37 | Menomonie, Dunn County | 1988 |
| 10 | William Berndt (from Dec. 13, 1989) | Rep. | 33 | Clifton, Pierce County | 1989 |
| 11 | J. Mac Davis (res. Aug. 1, 1990) | Rep. | 36 | Waukesha, Waukesha County | 1976 |
| --Vacant from Aug. 1, 1990-- |||||
| 12 | Lloyd H. Kincaid (res. Jul. 12, 1990) | Dem. | 63 | Crandon, Forest County | 1983 |
| 12 | Roger Breske (from Nov. 28, 1990) | Dem. | 52 | Elderon, Marathon County | 1990 |
| 13 | Barbara Lorman | Rep. | 56 | Fort Atkinson, Jefferson County | 1980 |
| 14 | Joseph Leean | Rep. | 46 | Dayton, Waupaca County | 1984 |
| 15 | Timothy Weeden | Rep. | 37 | Beloit, Rock County | 1987 |
| 16 | Charles Chvala | Dem. | 34 | Madison, Dane County | 1984 |
| 17 | Richard Kreul | Rep. | 64 | Fennimore, Grant County | 1978 |
| 18 | Carol Buettner | Rep. | 40 | Oshkosh, Winnebago County | 1987 |
| 19 | Michael G. Ellis | Rep. | 47 | Neenah, Winnebago County | 1982 |
| 20 | Donald K. Stitt | Rep. | 44 | Port Washington, Ozaukee County | 1984 |
| 21 | Joseph A. Strohl | Dem. | 42 | Racine, Racine County | 1978 |
| 22 | Joseph F. Andrea | Dem. | 61 | Kenosha, Kenosha County | 1984 |
| 23 | Marvin J. Roshell | Dem. | 56 | Lafayette, Chippewa County | 1978 |
| 24 | David Helbach | Dem. | 40 | Stevens Point, Portage County | 1983 |
| 25 | Robert Jauch | Dem. | 43 | Poplar, Douglas County | 1986 |
| 26 | Fred Risser | Dem. | 61 | Madison, Dane County | 1962 |
| 27 | Russ Feingold | Dem. | 35 | Middleton, Dane County | 1982 |
| 28 | Lynn Adelman | Dem. | 49 | New Berlin, Waukesha County | 1976 |
| 29 | Walter Chilsen | Rep. | 65 | Wausau, Marathon County | 1966 |
| 30 | Jerome Van Sistine | Dem. | 62 | Green Bay, Brown County | 1976 |
| 31 | Rodney C. Moen | Dem. | 51 | Whitehall, Trempealeau County | 1982 |
| 32 | Brian Rude | Rep. | 33 | Coon Valley, Vernon County | 1984 |
| 33 | Susan Engeleiter (res. Apr. 20, 1989) | Rep. | 36 | Brookfield, Waukesha County | 1980 |
| 33 | Margaret Farrow (from Jul. 11, 1989) | Rep. | 54 | Elm Grove, Waukesha County | 1989 |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Eighty-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate Dist. | Dist. | Representative | Party | Age (1989) | Home | First Elected |
| 01 | 01 | Lary J. Swoboda | Dem. | 49 | Luxemburg | 1970 |
| 01 | 02 | Dale Bolle | Dem. | 65 | Whitelaw | 1982 |
| 01 | 03 | Alvin Ott | Rep. | 39 | Brillion | 1986 |
| 02 | 04 | Cathy Zeuske | Rep. | 30 | Shawano | 1982 |
| 02 | 05 | Gary J. Schmidt | Rep. | 41 | Chilton | 1984 |
| 02 | 06 | Rosemary Hinkfuss | Dem. | 57 | Green Bay | 1988 |
| 03 | 07 | Gwen Moore | Dem. | 37 | Milwaukee | 1988 |
| 03 | 08 | Peter Bock | Dem. | 40 | Milwaukee | 1986 |
| 03 | 09 | Walter Kunicki | Dem. | 30 | Milwaukee | 1980 |
| 04 | 10 | Betty Jo Nelsen (res. Jan. 12, 1990) | Rep. | 53 | Shorewood | 1979 |
| 04 | 10 | Alberta Darling (from May 15, 1990) | Rep. | 46 | River Hills | 1990 |
| 04 | 11 | Louis Fortis | Dem. | 41 | Milwaukee | 1986 |
| 04 | 12 | Barbara Notestein | Dem. | 39 | Milwaukee | 1984 |
| 05 | 13 | Thomas Seery | Dem. | 43 | Milwaukee | 1982 |
| 05 | 14 | Thomas Barrett (res. Dec. 13, 1989) | Dem. | 35 | Milwaukee | 1984 |
| 05 | 14 | David Cullen (from May 15, 1990) | Dem. | 30 | Milwaukee | 1990 |
| 05 | 15 | Shirley Krug | Dem. | 30 | Milwaukee | 1984 |
| 06 | 16 | Spencer Coggs | Dem. | 39 | Milwaukee | 1982 |
| 06 | 17 | Annette Polly Williams | Dem. | 51 | Milwaukee | 1980 |
| 06 | 18 | Marcia P. Coggs | Dem. | 60 | Milwaukee | 1976 |
| 07 | 19 | Louise M. Tesmer (res. Jul. 31, 1989) | Dem. | 46 | Milwaukee | 1972 |
| 07 | 19 | Rosemary Potter (res. Oct. 26, 1989) | Dem. | 37 | Milwaukee | 1989 |
| 07 | 20 | Tim Carpenter | Dem. | 28 | Milwaukee | 1984 |
| 07 | 21 | Richard Grobschmidt | Dem. | 40 | South Milwaukee | 1984 |
| 08 | 22 | Jeannette Bell | Dem. | 47 | West Allis | 1982 |
| 08 | 23 | Thomas A. Hauke | Dem. | 50 | West Allis | 1972 |
| 08 | 24 | Peggy Krusick | Dem. | 32 | Milwaukee | 1983 |
| 09 | 25 | Vernon W. Holschbach | Dem. | 62 | Manitowoc | 1980 |
| 09 | 26 | Calvin Potter | Dem. | 43 | Kohler | 1974 |
| 09 | 27 | Wilfrid J. Turba | Rep. | 60 | Russell | 1982 |
| 10 | 28 | Harvey Stower | Dem. | 44 | Amery | 1982 |
| 10 | 29 | Alvin Baldus | Dem. | 62 | Menomonie | 1966 |
| 10 | 30 | Sheila Harsdorf | Rep. | 32 | River Falls | 1988 |
| 11 | 31 | Joanne Huelsman | Rep. | 50 | Waukesha | 1982 |
| 11 | 32 | Joseph Wimmer | Rep. | 54 | Waukesha | 1982 |
| 11 | 33 | Steven Foti | Rep. | 30 | Oconomowoc | 1982 |
| 12 | 34 | Jim Holperin | Dem. | 38 | Eagle River | 1982 |
| 12 | 35 | Thomas D. Ourada | Rep. | 30 | Antigo | 1984 |
| 12 | 36 | John Volk | Dem. | 73 | Freedom | 1983 |
| 13 | 37 | Randall J. Radtke | Rep. | 37 | Lake Mills | 1978 |
| 13 | 38 | Margaret S. Lewis | Rep. | 34 | Jefferson | 1984 |
| 13 | 39 | Robert Goetsch | Rep. | 55 | Oak Grove | 1982 |
| 14 | 40 | William Lorge | Rep. | 28 | Deer Creek | 1988 |
| 14 | 41 | Robert T. Welch | Rep. | 30 | Leon | 1984 |
| 14 | 42 | Ben Brancel | Rep. | 38 | Douglas | 1986 |
| 15 | 43 | Charles W. Coleman | Rep. | 56 | Richmond | 1982 |
| 15 | 44 | Wayne W. Wood | Dem. | 58 | Janesville | 1976 |
| 15 | 45 | Judy Robson | Dem. | 49 | Beloit | 1987 |
| 16 | 46 | Thomas A. Loftus | Dem. | 43 | Sun Prairie | 1976 |
| 16 | 47 | David G. Deininger | Rep. | 41 | Monroe | 1986 |
| 16 | 48 | Sue Rohan | Dem. | 36 | Monona | 1984 |
| 17 | 49 | David A. Brandemuehl | Rep. | 57 | Mount Ida | 1986 |
| 17 | 50 | Dale Schultz | Rep. | 35 | Washington | 1982 |
| 17 | 51 | Joseph E. Tregoning (res. May 28, 1990) | Rep. | 47 | Shullsburg | 1967 |
| --Vacant from May 28, 1990-- |||||
| 18 | 52 | Peg Lautenschlager | Dem. | 33 | Fond du Lac | 1988 |
| 18 | 53 | Mary Panzer | Rep. | 37 | West Bend | 1980 |
| 18 | 54 | Gregg Underheim | Rep. | 38 | Oshkosh | 1987 |
| 19 | 55 | Esther K. Walling | Rep. | 48 | Menasha | 1982 |
| 19 | 56 | Judith Klusman | Rep. | 32 | Oshkosh | 1988 |
| 19 | 57 | David Prosser Jr. | Rep. | 46 | Appleton | 1978 |
| 20 | 58 | Steven D. Loucks | Rep. | 27 | Mequon | 1988 |
| 20 | 59 | Michael A. Lehman | Rep. | 45 | Hartford | 1988 |
| 20 | 60 | Susan B. Vergeront | Rep. | 43 | Cedarburg | 1984 |
| 21 | 61 | Scott C. Fergus (res. Jul. 1, 1990) | Dem. | 33 | Racine | 1984 |
| --Vacant from Jul. 1, 1990-- |||||
| 21 | 62 | Kimberly Plache | Dem. | 27 | Racine | 1988 |
| 21 | 63 | E. James Ladwig | Rep. | 50 | Caledonia | 1978 |
| 22 | 64 | Peter W. Barca | Dem. | 33 | Kenosha | 1984 |
| 22 | 65 | John Antaramian | Dem. | 34 | Kenosha | 1982 |
| 22 | 66 | Cloyd A. Porter | Rep. | 53 | Burlington | 1972 |
| 23 | 67 | Leo Richard Hamilton | Dem. | 61 | Chippewa Falls | 1986 |
| 23 | 68 | David Zien | Rep. | 38 | Taft | 1988 |
| 23 | 69 | Heron Van Gorden | Rep. | 62 | Neillsville | 1982 |
| 24 | 70 | Donald W. Hasenohrl | Dem. | 53 | Pittsville | 1974 |
| 24 | 71 | Stan Gruszynski | Dem. | 39 | Stevens Point | 1984 |
| 24 | 72 | Marlin Schneider | Dem. | 46 | Wisconsin Rapids | 1970 |
| 25 | 73 | Frank Boyle | Dem. | 43 | Summit | 1986 |
| 25 | 74 | Barbara Linton | Dem. | 36 | Ashland | 1986 |
| 25 | 75 | Mary Hubler | Dem. | 36 | Rice Lake | 1984 |
| 26 | 76 | Rebecca Young | Dem. | 54 | Madison | 1984 |
| 26 | 77 | Spencer Black | Dem. | 38 | Madison | 1984 |
| 26 | 78 | David Clarenbach | Dem. | 35 | Madison | 1974 |
| 27 | 79 | Joe Wineke | Dem. | 31 | Verona | 1982 |
| 27 | 80 | Robert M. Thompson | Dem. | 61 | Dekorra | 1970 |
| 27 | 81 | David Travis | Dem. | 40 | Madison | 1978 |
| 28 | 82 | James A. Rutkowski | Dem. | 46 | Hales Corners | 1970 |
| 28 | 83 | David J. Lepak | Rep. | 29 | Muskego | 1984 |
| 28 | 84 | Marc C. Duff | Rep. | 27 | New Berlin | 1988 |
| 29 | 85 | Gregory Huber | Dem. | 32 | Wausau | 1988 |
| 29 | 86 | Brad Zweck | Dem. | 30 | Mosinee | 1986 |
| 29 | 87 | Robert J. Larson | Rep. | 56 | Medford | 1978 |
| 30 | 88 | John Gard | Rep. | 26 | Lena | 1987 |
| 30 | 89 | Cletus J. Vanderperren | Dem. | 76 | Pittsfield | 1958 |
| 30 | 90 | Mary Lou E. Van Dreel | Dem. | 53 | Green Bay | 1986 |
| 31 | 91 | Barbara Gronemus | Dem. | 57 | Whitehall | 1982 |
| 31 | 92 | Terry Musser | Rep. | 41 | Irving | 1984 |
| 31 | 93 | Jacquelyn J. Lahn | Rep. | 36 | Clear Creek | 1988 |
| 32 | 94 | Virgil Roberts | Dem. | 66 | Holmen | 1970 |
| 32 | 95 | John Medinger | Dem. | 40 | La Crosse | 1976 |
| 32 | 96 | DuWayne Johnsrud | Rep. | 45 | Eastman | 1984 |
| 33 | 97 | Lolita Schneiders | Rep. | 57 | Menomonee Falls | 1980 |
| 33 | 98 | Peggy Rosenzweig | Rep. | 52 | Wauwatosa | 1982 |
| 33 | 99 | Margaret Farrow (res. Jul. 11, 1989) | Rep. | 54 | Elm Grove | 1986 |
| 33 | 99 | Frank Urban (from Sep. 22, 1989) | Rep. | 59 | Elm Grove | 1989 |

## Employees
### Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: Donald J. Schneider
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Daniel B. Fields

### Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: Thomas T. Melvin
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Robert G. Johnston