# 79th Wisconsin Legislature

The Seventy-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 6, 1969, to January 4, 1971, in regular session and also convened in two special sessions in the fall of 1969 and on December 22, 1970.
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 5, 1968. 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 8, 1966.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Warren P. Knowles, of St. Croix County, serving his third two-year term, having won re-election in the 1968 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* January 6, 1969: Third inauguration of Warren P. Knowles as Governor of Wisconsin.
* January 20, 1969: Inauguration of Richard Nixon as the 37th President of the United States.
* January 21, 1969: Wisconsin U.S. representative Melvin Laird (WI-07) resigned from Congress to become United States Secretary of Defense.
* April 1, 1969: 1969 Wisconsin spring election:
** Voters ratified two amendments to the state constitution:
*** Allowing the legislature to establish the office of county executive for all counties (it had previously been restricted to Milwaukee County).
*** Allowing the state to take on debt directly and end the practice of utilizing dummy corporations.
* July 20, 1969: As part of the Apollo 11 mission, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon.
* October 29, 1969: The first message was sent over ARPANET, the forerunner of the internet.
* March 31, 1970: The Seattle Pilots professional baseball team was sold to a new ownership group led by Bud Selig, who immediately moved the franchise to Milwaukee and renamed them the Milwaukee Brewers.
* April 17, 1970: The Apollo 13 crew returned safely to Earth after suffering a catastrophic explosion on their spacecraft four days earlier.
* April 22, 1970: The first Earth Day was celebrated, organized by Wisconsin's junior United States senator, Gaylord Nelson.
* August 24, 1970: The Sterling Hall bombing on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus killed a physics professor and injured three others.
* November 3, 1970: 1970 United States general election:
** Patrick Lucey (D) elected Governor of Wisconsin.
** William Proxmire (D) re-elected United States senator from Wisconsin.
* November 18, 1970: A three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin ruled in the case of Babbitz v. McCann, granting an injunction which prohibited enforcement of Wisconsin's laws against abortion, effectively making abortion legal in Wisconsin.

## Major legislation

* 1969 Joint Resolution 2: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the legislature to establish the office of county executive for all Wisconsin counties. This amendment was ratified by voters at the April 1969 election.
* 1969 Joint Resolution 3: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the state to take on debt without utilizing a shell corporation. This amendment was ratified by voters at the April 1969 election.

## Party summary
### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 12 | 21 | 33 | 0 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 10 | 23 | 33 | 0 |
| From Apr. 20, 1969 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 1 |
| From Aug. 26, 1969 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 2 |
| From Oct. 4, 1969 | 9 | 21 | 30 | 3 |
| From Oct. 14, 1969 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 2 |
| From Nov. 11, 1969 | 11 | 21 | 32 | 1 |
| Final voting share | 34.38% | 65.63% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 12 | 20 | 32 | 1 |

### 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 | 46 | 0 | 52 | 98 | 2 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 48 | 0 | 52 | 100 | 0 |
| From Apr. 1, 1969 | 47 | 0 | 52 | 99 | 1 |
| From Oct. 2, 1969 | 47 | 1 | 51 | 99 | 1 |
| From Oct. 14, 1969 | 48 | 1 | 51 | 100 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 49% | 49% | 51% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 67 | 0 | 33 | 100 | 0 |

## Sessions

* Regular session: January 6, 1969 – January 4, 1971
* September 1969 special session: September 29, 1969 – January 17, 1970
* December 1970 special session: December 22, 1970

## Leaders
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Jack B. Olson (R)
* 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: Harold V. Froehlich (R–Appleton)
* Speaker pro tempore: Elmer C. Nitschke (R–Beaver Dam)
* Majority leader: Paul Alfonsi (R–Minocqua)
* Minority leader: Robert T. Huber (D–West Allis)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Seventy-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Counties | Senator | Residence | Party |
| 01 | Door, Kewaunee, & Manitowoc | Alex Meunier | Sturgeon Bay | Rep. |
| 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) | Martin J. Schreiber | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 07 | Milwaukee (Southeast County & Southeast City) | Leland McParland | Cudahy | Dem. |
| 08 | Milwaukee (Western County) | Allen Busby | West Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 09 | Milwaukee (City Downtown) | Norman Sussman (died Apr. 20, 1969) | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 09 | Milwaukee (City Downtown) | Ronald G. Parys (from Oct. 14, 1969) | 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 | Frank E. Panzer (died Aug. 26, 1969) | Oakfield | Rep. |
| 13 | Eastern Dodge, Jefferson, & Washington | Dale McKenna (from Nov. 11, 1969) | 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 | William Draheim | Neenah | 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 | Holger Rasmusen | Spooner | Rep. |
| 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 | Walter Terry | Baraboo | 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) | Chester Dempsey (died Oct. 4, 1969) | Hartland | Rep. |
| --Vacant from Oct. 4, 1969-- |||

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Seventy-Ninth 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 | John C. Van Hollen | Rep. | Chetek |
| 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 | Stanley York | Rep. | River Falls |
| 10 | Burnett & Polk | Burnett & Polk | Harvey L. Dueholm | Dem. | Luck |
| 02 | Calumet | Calumet | Gervase Hephner | Dem. | Chilton |
| 23 | Chippewa | Chippewa | Bruce Peloquin | Dem. | Chippewa Falls |
| 12 | Clark | Clark | Frank Nikolay | Dem. | Colby |
| 27 | Columbia | Columbia | Wesley L. Packard | Rep. | Lodi |
| 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 | Robert Uehling | Rep. | Madison |
| 16 | Dane | 4 | Russel R. Weisensel | Rep. | Sun Prairie |
| 16 | Dane | 5 | David D. O'Malley | Dem. | Waunakee |
| 13 | Dodge | 1 | Esther Doughty Luckhardt | Rep. | Horicon |
| 18 | Dodge | 2 | Elmer C. Nitschke | Rep. | Beaver Dam |
| 01 | Door & Kewaunee | Door & Kewaunee | Lawrence Johnson | Rep. | Algoma |
| 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 | Paul Alfonsi | Rep. | Minocqua |
| 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 | Gregor J. Bock | Rep. | Highland |
| 31 | Jackson & Trempealeau | Jackson & Trempealeau | John Q. Radcliffe | Dem. | Strum |
| 13 | Jefferson | Jefferson | Byron F. Wackett | Rep. | Watertown |
| 22 | Kenosha | 1 | George Molinaro | Dem. | Kenosha |
| 22 | Kenosha | 2 | Russell Olson | Rep. | Randall |
| 32 | La Crosse | 1 | Gerald Greider | Rep. | La Crosse |
| 32 | La Crosse | 2 | Norbert Nuttelman | Rep. | West Salem |
| 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 | Dave Obey (res. Apr. 1, 1969) | Dem. | Wausau |
| 29 | Marathon | 2 | Tony Earl (from Oct. 14, 1969) | Dem. | Wausau |
| 29 | Menominee & Shawano | Menominee & Shawano | Herbert J. Grover | Dem. | Shawano |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 1 | Mark Lipscomb Jr. | 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 | Ronald G. Parys | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 14 | Jerry Kleczka | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 15 | Erwin G. Tamms | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 11 | Milwaukee | 16 | Richard E. Pabst | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 17 | John E. McCormick | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 18 | Ervin Schneeberg | Rep. | 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 | Dem. | West Allis |
| 28 | Milwaukee | 23 | Jerry J. Wing | Rep. | Greenfield |
| 28 | Milwaukee | 23 | Jerry J. Wing | Ind. | Greenfield |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 24 | William P. Atkinson | Dem. | South Milwaukee |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 25 | Jim Sensenbrenner | Rep. | Shorewood |
| 31 | Monroe | Monroe | Kyle Kenyon | Rep. | Tomah |
| 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 | Willis J. Hutnik | Rep. | Ladysmith |
| 21 | Racine | 1 | Earl W. Warren | 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 | Carolyn Blanchard | Rep. | Edgerton |
| 15 | Rock | 3 | George B. Belting | Rep. | Beloit |
| 27 | Sauk | Sauk | Oscar A. Laper Jr. | Rep. | Rock Springs |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 1 | Carl Otte | Dem. | Sheboygan |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 2 | Vernon R. Boeckmann | Dem. | Plymouth |
| 10 | St. Croix | St. Croix | Robert M. Boche | Rep. | Star Prairie |
| 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 | Vincent R. Mathews | Dem. | Waukesha |
| 28 | Waukesha | 4 | John C. Shabaz | Rep. | New Berlin |
| 14 | Waupaca | Waupaca | Francis R. Byers | Rep. | Waupaca |
| 19 | Winnebago | 1 | Jack D. Steinhilber | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 19 | Winnebago | 2 | Gordon R. Bradley | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 19 | Winnebago | 3 | David O. Martin | Rep. | Menasha |
| 24 | Wood | 1 | John Parkin | Rep. | Marshfield |
| 24 | Wood | 2 | Harvey F. Gee | Rep. | Wisconsin Rapids |

## Committees
### Senate committees

* Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture – W. Terry, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Education – H. Rasmusen, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Governmental and Veterans Affairs – W. Draheim, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Health and Social Services – A. Cirilli, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Interstate Cooperation – G. Lorge, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary – A. Busby, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Labor, Taxation, Insurance, and Banking – G. Lorge, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Natural Resources – C. Krueger, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Transportation – R. La Fave, chair
* Senate Special Committee on Committees – G. Lorge, chair
* Senate Special Committee on Legislative Procedure – R. P. Knowles, chair
* Senate Special Committee on Senate Organization – E. Keppler, chair

### Assembly committees

* Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture – N. Nuttelman, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Manufactures – F. C. Schroeder, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Conservation – P. Alfonsi, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Education – L. H. Johnson, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Elections – S. York, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and Fees – E. F. McEssy, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Highways – W. J. Hutnik, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and Banking – K. Kenyon, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on the Judiciary – G. B. Belting, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Labor – J. N. Azim, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Municipalities – J. D. Steinhilber, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Printing – E. Conradt, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Public Welfare – H. F. Gee, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on State Affairs – B. Lewison, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Taxation – R. Uehling, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Tourism – W. L. Packard, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Transportation – E. C. Nitschke, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs – J. C. Van Hollen, chair
* Assembly Special Committee on Assembly Organization – H. V. Froehlich, chair
* Assembly Special Committee on Engrossed Bills – E. D. Luckhardt, chair
* Assembly Special Committee on Enrolled Bills – L. J. Kafka, chair
* Assembly Special Committee on Revision – J. Quinn, chair
* Assembly Special Committee on Rules – G. J. Bock, chair
* Assembly Special Committee on Third Reading – C. Blanchard, chair

### Joint committees

* Joint Standing Committee on Finance – W. G. Hollander (Sen.) & B. F. Wackett (Asm.), co-chairs
* Joint Standing Committee on Legislative Organization – P. Alfonsi (Asm.), chair
* Joint Standing Committee on Revisions, Repeals, and Uniform Laws – G. Roseleip (Sen.) & J. Sensenbrenner (Asm.), co-chairs
* Joint Legislative Council – H. V. Froehlich, chair

## Employees
### Senate employees

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

### Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: Wilmer H. Struebing
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Louis C. Romell