# 84th Wisconsin Legislature

The Eighty-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 3, 1979, to January 5, 1981, in regular session, and also convened in three special 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 7, 1978. 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 2, 1976.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Lee S. Dreyfus, of Portage County, serving the first two years of a four-year term, having won election in the 1978 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* January 1, 1979: Inauguration of Lee S. Dreyfus as the 40th Governor of Wisconsin.
* March 28, 1979: A partial meltdown occurred at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
* April 3, 1979: 1979 Wisconsin spring election:
** Wisconsin voters approved four amendments to the state constitution:
*** Updating terms of the gubernatorial succession.
*** Providing that when there is a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor, the governor can appoint a replacement with the consent of the Legislature.
*** Separating the office of Lieutenant Governor from the office of President of the Senate.
*** Making uniform the wording of the election terms for the three state administrative branch officials.
* November 4, 1979: 500 Iranian radicals, mostly students, invaded the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 90 hostages and demanding that the United States return their recently deposed shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to stand trial in Iran.
* April 1, 1980: 1980 Wisconsin spring election:
** Donald W. Steinmetz was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed Connor Hansen.
** Ronald Reagan won the Wisconsin Republican presidential primary.
** Jimmy Carter won the Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary.
* November 4, 1980: 1980 United States general election:
** Ronald Reagan (R) elected President of the United States.
** Bob Kasten (R) elected United States senator from Wisconsin.

## Major legislation

* 1979 Joint Resolution 3: Second legislative passage of four proposed amendments to the state constitution to clarify language about the gubernatorial succession, add a process by which the governor and legislature can fill a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor, separate the office of Lieutenant Governor from the office of President of the Senate, and making uniform the language of the terms of election for the three administrative branch officials. All four amendments were ratified by voters at the April 1979 election.

## Party summary
### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 22 | 11 | 33 | 0 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 21 | 10 | 31 | 2 |
| From Apr. 3, 1979 | 21 | 9 | 30 | 3 |
| From Apr. 17, 1979 | 21 | 11 | 32 | 1 |
| From Jul. 11, 1979 | 21 | 12 | 33 | 0 |
| From Feb. 28, 1980 | 21 | 11 | 32 | 1 |
| From May 6, 1980 | 21 | 12 | 33 | 0 |
| From Oct. 1, 1980 | 20 | 12 | 32 | 1 |
| From Oct. 22, 1980 | 19 | 12 | 31 | 2 |
| Final voting share | 61.29% | 35.48% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 20 | 13 | 33 | 0 |

### Assembly summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 66 | 33 | 99 | 0 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 60 | 39 | 99 | 0 |
| From Apr. 17, 1979 | 60 | 37 | 97 | 2 |
| From July 24, 1979 | 60 | 39 | 99 | 0 |
| From Jan. 26, 1980 | 59 | 39 | 98 | 1 |
| From Apr. 29, 1980 | 60 | 39 | 99 | 0 |
| From Dec. 8, 1980 | 60 | 38 | 98 | 1 |
| Final voting share | 60.61% | 39.39% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 59 | 39 | 98 | 1 |

## Sessions

* Regular session: January 3, 1979 – January 5, 1981
* September 1979 special session: September 5, 1979
* January 1980 special session: January 22, 1980 – January 25, 1980
* June 1980 special session: June 3, 1980 – July 3, 1980

## Leaders
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Russell Olson (R) (until May 1, 1979)
** Fred Risser (D–Madison) (after May 1, 1979)
* President pro tempore: Fred Risser (D–Madison) (until May 1, 1979)

#### Senate majority leadership

* Majority Leader: William A. Bablitch (D–Stevens Point)
* Assistant Majority Leader: James T. Flynn (D–West Allis)

#### Senate minority leadership

* Minority Leader: Clifford Krueger (R–Merrill)
* Assistant Minority Leader: Roger P. Murphy (R–Waukesha) (until Feb. 28, 1980)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: Edward Jackamonis (D–Waukesha)
* Speaker pro tempore: David Kedrowski (D–Washburn)

#### Assembly majority leadership

* Majority Leader: James W. Wahner (D–Milwaukee) (until Jan. 26, 1980)
** Gary K. Johnson (after Jan. 26, 1980)
* Assistant Majority Leader: R. Michael Ferrall (D–Racine)

#### Assembly minority leadership

* Minority Leader: John C. Shabaz (R–New Berlin)
* Assistant Minority Leader: Tommy Thompson (R–Elroy)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Eighty-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Senator | Party | Age (1979) | Home | First elected |
| 01 | Alan Lasee | Rep. | 41 | De Pere, Brown County | 1977 |
| 02 | Tom Petri (res. Apr. 3, 1979) | Rep. | 38 | Green Bay, Brown County | 1972 |
| 02 | Don Hanaway (from Jul. 11, 1979) | Rep. | 45 | De Pere, Brown County | 1979 |
| 03 | Jerry Kleczka | Dem. | 35 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1974 |
| 04 | --Vacant until Apr. 17, 1979-- | --Vacant until Apr. 17, 1979-- | --Vacant until Apr. 17, 1979-- | --Vacant until Apr. 17, 1979-- | --Vacant until Apr. 17, 1979-- |
| 04 | Rod Johnston (from Apr. 17, 1979) | Rep. | 41 | Whitefish Bay, Milwaukee County | 1979 |
| 05 | David Berger | Dem. | 32 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1974 |
| 06 | Monroe Swan (rem. Oct. 22, 1980) | Dem. | 41 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1972 |
| 07 | Kurt Frank | Dem. | 33 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1970 |
| 08 | James T. Flynn | Dem. | 34 | West Allis, Milwaukee County | 1972 |
| 09 | Jim Moody | Dem. | 43 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1978 |
| 10 | Michele Radosevich | Dem. | 31 | North Hudson, St. Croix County | 1976 |
| 11 | Warren Braun | Dem. | 44 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 1976 |
| 12 | Clifford Krueger | Rep. | 60 | Merrill, Lincoln County | 1946 |
| 13 | Peter D. Bear (res. Oct. 1, 1980) | Dem. | 26 | Madison, Dane County | 1978 |
| 14 | Gerald Lorge | Rep. | 56 | Bear Creek, Outagamie County | 1954 |
| 15 | Timothy Cullen | Dem. | 34 | Janesville, Rock County | 1974 |
| 16 | Carl W. Thompson | Dem. | 64 | Stoughton, Dane County | 1959 |
| 17 | Richard Kreul | Rep. | 54 | Fennimore, Grant County | 1978 |
| 18 | Scott McCallum | Rep. | 28 | Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County | 1976 |
| 19 | Gary Goyke | Dem. | 31 | Oshkosh, Winnebago County | 1974 |
| 20 | --Vacant until Apr. 17, 1979-- | --Vacant until Apr. 17, 1979-- | --Vacant until Apr. 17, 1979-- | --Vacant until Apr. 17, 1979-- | --Vacant until Apr. 17, 1979-- |
| 20 | David W. Opitz (from Apr. 17, 1979) | Rep. | 33 | Port Washington, Ozaukee County | 1979 |
| 21 | Joseph A. Strohl | Dem. | 32 | Racine, Racine County | 1978 |
| 22 | John J. Maurer | Dem. | 56 | Kenosha, Kenosha County | 1975 |
| 23 | Marvin J. Roshell | Dem. | 46 | Lafayette, Chippewa County | 1978 |
| 24 | William A. Bablitch | Dem. | 37 | Stevens Point, Portage County | 1972 |
| 25 | Daniel Theno | Rep. | 31 | Ashland, Ashland County | 1972 |
| 26 | Fred Risser | Dem. | 51 | Madison, Dane County | 1962 |
| 27 | Everett Bidwell | Rep. | 79 | Portage, Columbia County | 1970 |
| 28 | Lynn Adelman | Dem. | 39 | New Berlin, Waukesha County | 1976 |
| 29 | Walter Chilsen | Rep. | 55 | Wausau, Marathon County | 1966 |
| 30 | Jerome Van Sistine | Dem. | 52 | Green Bay, Brown County | 1976 |
| 31 | Thomas Harnisch | Dem. | 31 | Neillsville, Clark County | 1974 |
| 32 | Paul Offner | Dem. | 36 | La Crosse, La Crosse County | 1968 |
| 33 | Roger P. Murphy (res. Feb. 28, 1980) | Rep. | 55 | Waukesha, Waukesha County | 1970 |
| 33 | Susan Engeleiter (from May 6, 1980) | Rep. | 28 | Brookfield, Waukesha County | 1980 |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Eighty-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate Dist. | Dist. | Representative | Party | Age (1979) | Home | First Elected |
| 01 | 01 | Lary J. Swoboda | Dem. | 39 | Luxemburg | 1970 |
| 01 | 02 | Francis J. Lallensack | Dem. | 62 | Manitowoc | 1972 |
| 01 | 03 | Daniel Fischer | Dem. | 26 | Reedsville | 1976 |
| 02 | 04 | Gary T. Dilweg | Rep. | 41 | De Pere | 1978 |
| 02 | 05 | William J. Rogers | Dem. | 48 | Kaukauna | 1962 |
| 02 | 06 | Gervase Hephner | Dem. | 42 | Chilton | 1966 |
| 03 | 07 | Kevin Soucie | Dem. | 24 | Milwaukee | 1974 |
| 03 | 08 | John Norquist | Dem. | 29 | Milwaukee | 1974 |
| 03 | 09 | Phillip Tuczynski | Dem. | 31 | Milwaukee | 1974 |
| 04 | 10 | Rod Johnston (res. Apr. 17, 1979) | Rep. | 41 | Whitefish Bay | 1975 |
| 04 | 10 | Betty Jo Nelsen (from Jul. 24, 1979) | Rep. | 43 | Shorewood | 1979 |
| 04 | 11 | Gus Menos | Dem. | 58 | Milwaukee | 1971 |
| 04 | 12 | John L. Merkt | Rep. | 32 | Mequon | 1976 |
| 05 | 13 | Michael G. Kirby | Dem. | 26 | Milwaukee | 1974 |
| 05 | 14 | Robert E. Behnke | Dem. | 46 | Milwaukee | 1972 |
| 05 | 15 | James W. Wahner (res. Jan. 26, 1980) | Dem. | 39 | Milwaukee | 1970 |
| 05 | 15 | Lois Plous (from Apr. 29, 1980) | Dem. | 41 | Milwaukee | 1980 |
| 06 | 16 | William B. Broydrick | Dem. | 30 | Milwaukee | 1978 |
| 06 | 17 | Walter L. Ward Jr. | Dem. | 35 | Milwaukee | 1972 |
| 06 | 18 | Marcia P. Coggs | Dem. | 50 | Milwaukee | 1976 |
| 07 | 19 | Louise M. Tesmer | Dem. | 36 | Milwaukee | 1972 |
| 07 | 20 | John Plewa | Dem. | 33 | Milwaukee | 1972 |
| 07 | 21 | Chester A. Gerlach | Dem. | 31 | South Milwaukee | 1974 |
| 08 | 22 | George Klicka | Rep. | 44 | Wauwatosa | 1966 |
| 08 | 23 | Thomas A. Hauke | Dem. | 40 | West Allis | 1972 |
| 08 | 24 | Gary J. Barczak | Dem. | 39 | West Allis | 1972 |
| 09 | 25 | Barbara Ulichny | Dem. | 31 | Milwaukee | 1978 |
| 09 | 26 | Stephen R. Leopold | Dem. | 34 | Milwaukee | 1976 |
| 09 | 27 | Joseph Czerwinski | Dem. | 34 | Milwaukee | 1968 |
| 10 | 28 | David E. Paulson | Rep. | 47 | Amery | 1978 |
| 10 | 29 | Robert W. Harer | Rep. | 37 | Woodville | 1978 |
| 10 | 30 | James Harsdorf | Rep. | 28 | River Falls | 1977 |
| 11 | 31 | Mordecai Lee | Dem. | 30 | Milwaukee | 1976 |
| 11 | 32 | Dismas Becker | Dem. | 42 | Milwaukee | 1977 |
| 11 | 33 | Richard E. Pabst | Dem. | 45 | Milwaukee | 1966 |
| 12 | 34 | Robert J. Larson | Rep. | 46 | Medford | 1978 |
| 12 | 35 | Sheehan Donoghue | Rep. | 35 | Merrill | 1972 |
| 12 | 36 | Lloyd H. Kincaid | Dem. | 53 | Crandon | 1972 |
| 13 | 37 | David Travis | Dem. | 30 | Madison | 1978 |
| 13 | 38 | Harland E. Everson | Dem. | 61 | Edgerton | 1970 |
| 13 | 39 | Milton Lorman | Rep. | 51 | Fort Atkinson | 1976 |
| 14 | 40 | Francis R. Byers | Rep. | 58 | Marion | 1968 |
| 14 | 41 | Ervin Conradt | Rep. | 62 | Shiocton | 1964 |
| 14 | 42 | David Prosser Jr. | Rep. | 36 | Appleton | 1978 |
| 15 | 43 | Cloyd A. Porter | Rep. | 43 | Burlington | 1972 |
| 15 | 44 | Delmar DeLong | Rep. | 47 | Janesville | 1972 |
| 15 | 45 | Gary K. Johnson | Dem. | 39 | Beloit | 1970 |
| 16 | 46 | Thomas A. Loftus | Dem. | 33 | Sun Prairie | 1976 |
| 16 | 47 | Jonathan B. Barry | Dem. | 33 | Primrose | 1976 |
| 16 | 48 | Wayne W. Wood | Dem. | 48 | Janesville | 1976 |
| 17 | 49 | Robert S. Travis Jr. | Rep. | 31 | Platteville | 1976 |
| 17 | 50 | Joanne M. Duren | Dem. | 47 | Cazenovia | 1970 |
| 17 | 51 | Joseph E. Tregoning | Rep. | 37 | Shullsburg | 1967 |
| 18 | 52 | Earl F. McEssy | Rep. | 65 | Fond du Lac | 1956 |
| 18 | 53 | James R. Lewis | Rep. | 42 | West Bend | 1972 |
| 18 | 54 | Esther Doughty Luckhardt | Rep. | 65 | Horicon | 1962 |
| 19 | 55 | Michael G. Ellis | Rep. | 36 | Neenah | 1970 |
| 19 | 56 | Richard A. Flintrop | Dem. | 33 | Oshkosh | 1972 |
| 19 | 57 | Gordon R. Bradley | Rep. | 57 | Oshkosh | 1968 |
| 20 | 58 | Carl Otte | Dem. | 55 | Sheboygan | 1967 |
| 20 | 59 | Calvin Potter | Dem. | 33 | Kohler | 1974 |
| 20 | 60 | David W. Opitz (res. Apr. 17, 1979) | Rep. | 33 | Port Washington | 1972 |
| 20 | 60 | Donald K. Stitt (from Jul. 24, 1979) | Rep. | 34 | Port Washington | 1979 |
| 21 | 61 | James F. Rooney | Dem. | 43 | Racine | 1972 |
| 21 | 62 | R. Michael Ferrall | Dem. | 42 | Racine | 1970 |
| 21 | 63 | E. James Ladwig | Rep. | 40 | Caledonia | 1978 |
| 22 | 64 | Joseph F. Andrea | Dem. | 51 | Kenosha | 1976 |
| 22 | 65 | Eugene Dorff | Dem. | 48 | Kenosha | 1970 |
| 22 | 66 | Mary Wagner | Dem. | 29 | Salem | 1978 |
| 23 | 67 | David R. Hopkins | Rep. | 40 | Eagle Point | 1978 |
| 23 | 68 | William P. Gagin | Rep. | 62 | Eau Claire | 1968 |
| 23 | 69 | Richard Shoemaker | Dem. | 27 | Menomonie | 1978 |
| 24 | 70 | Donald W. Hasenohrl | Dem. | 43 | Pittsville | 1974 |
| 24 | 71 | David Helbach | Dem. | 30 | Stevens Point | 1978 |
| 24 | 72 | Patricia A. Goodrich | Rep. | 45 | Berlin | 1974 |
| 25 | 73 | Thomas B. Murray | Dem. | 40 | Superior | 1972 |
| 25 | 74 | David Kedrowski | Dem. | 36 | Washburn | 1972 |
| 25 | 75 | Patricia Spafford Smith | Dem. | 53 | Rice Lake | 1978 |
| 26 | 76 | Mary Lou Munts | Dem. | 54 | Madison | 1972 |
| 26 | 77 | Midge Miller | Dem. | 56 | Madison | 1970 |
| 26 | 78 | David Clarenbach | Dem. | 25 | Madison | 1974 |
| 27 | 79 | Tommy Thompson | Rep. | 37 | Elroy | 1966 |
| 27 | 80 | James F. Laatsch | Rep. | 38 | Arlington | 1978 |
| 27 | 81 | Randall J. Radtke | Rep. | 27 | Lake Mills | 1978 |
| 28 | 82 | James A. Rutkowski | Dem. | 36 | Hales Corners | 1970 |
| 28 | 83 | John C. Shabaz | Rep. | 47 | New Berlin | 1964 |
| 28 | 84 | Harry G. Snyder (res. Dec. 8, 1980) | Rep. | 40 | Oconomowoc | 1974 |
| 29 | 85 | Edward F. McClain | Dem. | 43 | Wausau | 1974 |
| 29 | 86 | Raymond Omernick | Rep. | 55 | Wittenburg | 1978 |
| 29 | 87 | Earl W. Schmidt | Rep. | 42 | Birnamwood | 1974 |
| 30 | 88 | Richard P. Matty | Rep. | 46 | Stephenson | 1972 |
| 30 | 89 | Cletus J. Vanderperren | Dem. | 66 | Pittsfield | 1958 |
| 30 | 90 | Sharon Metz | Dem. | 44 | Green Bay | 1974 |
| 31 | 91 | Steve Gunderson | Rep. | 27 | Osseo | 1974 |
| 31 | 92 | Robert Quackenbush | Rep. | 55 | Sparta | 1970 |
| 31 | 93 | Marlin Schneider | Dem. | 36 | Wisconsin Rapids | 1970 |
| 32 | 94 | Virgil Roberts | Dem. | 56 | Holmen | 1970 |
| 32 | 95 | John Medinger | Dem. | 30 | La Crosse | 1976 |
| 32 | 96 | Bernard Lewison | Rep. | 76 | Viroqua | 1954 |
| 33 | 97 | Ronald H. Lingren | Dem. | 43 | Menomonee Falls | 1974 |
| 33 | 98 | Edward Jackamonis | Dem. | 39 | Waukesha | 1970 |
| 33 | 99 | John M. Young | Rep. | 52 | Brookfield | 1978 |

## Employees
### Senate employees

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

### Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: Marcel Dandeneau
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Joseph E. Jones