# 73rd Wisconsin Legislature

The Seventy-Third Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 9, 1957, to September 27, 1957, in regular session, and reconvened in a special session in June 1958.
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 6, 1956. 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 2, 1954.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Vernon W. Thomson, of Richland County, serving a two-year term, having won election in the 1956 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* January 7, 1957:
** Inauguration of Vernon W. Thomson as the 34th Governor of Wisconsin.
** John E. Martin became chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court by seniority rule at the expiration of Edward T. Fairchild's term.
* January 20, 1957: Second inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower as President of the United States.
* May 2, 1957: Wisconsin's senior United States senator, Joseph McCarthy, died in office.
* August 28, 1957: William Proxmire (D) elected United States senator from Wisconsin.
* September 9, 1957: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 into law.
* October 4, 1957: The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth.
* October 10, 1957: The Milwaukee Braves won the 1957 World Series.
* November 3, 1957: The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, carrying the first animal to orbit the Earth.
* January 22, 1958: Wisconsin U.S. representative Lawrence H. Smith (WI-01) died in office.
* January 31, 1958: The United States launched Explorer 1, its first successful satellite.
* March 8, 1958: The USS Wisconsin (BB-64) was decommissioned, leaving the U.S. Navy without an active battleship for the first time since 1896.
* July 29, 1958: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, establishing NASA.
* October 9, 1958: Pope Pius XII died.
* October 28, 1958: The 1958 papal conclave elected Cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli as the next pope, he then took the papal name John XXIII.
* November 4, 1958: 1958 United States general election:
** Gaylord Nelson (D) elected Governor of Wisconsin.
** William Proxmire (D) re-elected United States senator from Wisconsin.

## Major legislation

* 1957 Joint Resolution 32: First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to set a county and municipal debt limit of five percent of taxable property. This amendment was eventually ratified at the November 1960 election.
* 1957 Joint Resolution 58: First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the state to take on debt to pay for port improvements. This amendment was eventually ratified at the April 1960 election.

## Party summary
### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 8 | 23 | 31 | 2 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 10 | 23 | 33 | 0 |
| From Aug. 19, 1957 | 10 | 22 | 32 | 1 |
| Final voting share | 31.25% | 68.75% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 13 | 20 | 33 | 0 |

### Assembly summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 35 | 63 | 98 | 2 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 33 | 67 | 100 | 0 |
| From Jul. 10, 1957 | 33 | 66 | 99 | 1 |
| Final voting share | 33.33% | 66.67% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 55 | 45 | 100 | 0 |

## Sessions

* Regular session: January 9, 1957 – September 27, 1957
* June 1958 special session: June 11, 1958 – June 13, 1958

## Leaders
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Warren P. Knowles (R)
* President pro tempore: Frank E. Panzer (R–Oakfield)
* Majority leader: Robert S. Travis (R–Platteville)
* Minority leader: Henry Maier (D–Milwaukee)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: Robert G. Marotz (R–Shawano)
* Majority leader: Warren A. Grady (R–Port Washington)
* Minority leader: Robert T. Huber (D–West Allis)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Seventy-Third Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Counties | Senator | Residence | Party |
| 01 | Door, Kewaunee, & Manitowoc | Alfred A. Laun Jr. | Kiel | Rep. |
| 02 | Brown | Leo P. O'Brien | Green Bay | Rep. |
| 03 | Milwaukee (South City) | Casimir Kendziorski | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 04 | Milwaukee (North County) | Kirby Hendee | Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 05 | Milwaukee (Northwest City) | Walter L. Merten | Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 06 | Milwaukee (Northeast City) | William R. Moser | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 07 | Milwaukee (South County & Southeast City) | Leland McParland | Cudahy | Dem. |
| 08 | Milwaukee (Western County) | Allen Busby | West Milwaukee | Rep. |
| 09 | Milwaukee (City Downtown) | Henry Maier | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 10 | Buffalo, Dunn, Pepin, Pierce, & St. Croix | Robert P. Knowles | New Richmond | Rep. |
| 11 | Milwaukee (Western City) | Richard J. Zaborski | Milwaukee | Dem. |
| 12 | Iron, Lincoln, Oneida, Price, Taylor, & Vilas | Clifford Krueger | Merrill | Rep. |
| 13 | Dodge & Washington | Frank E. Panzer | Oakfield | Rep. |
| 14 | Outagamie & Waupaca | Gerald Lorge | Bear Creek | Rep. |
| 15 | Rock | Peter P. Carr | Janesville | Rep. |
| 16 | Dane (Excluding Madison) | Gaylord Nelson | Madison | Dem. |
| 17 | Grant, Green, Iowa, & Lafayette | Robert S. Travis | Platteville | Rep. |
| 18 | Fond du Lac, Green Lake & Waushara | Walter G. Hollander | Rosendale | Rep. |
| 19 | Calumet & Winnebago | William Draheim | Neenah | Rep. |
| 20 | Ozaukee & Sheboygan | Louis H. Prange (died Aug. 19, 1957) | Plymouth | Rep. |
| 21 | Racine | Lynn E. Stalbaum | Racine | Dem. |
| 22 | Kenosha & Walworth | William Trinke | Lake Geneva | Rep. |
| 23 | Barron, Burnett, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, & Washburn | Holger Rasmusen | Spooner | Rep. |
| 24 | Clark, Portage, & Wood | William W. Clark | Vesper | Rep. |
| 25 | Ashland, Bayfield, & Douglas | Carl Lauri | Merrill | Dem. |
| 26 | Dane (Madison) | Horace W. Wilkie | Madison | Dem. |
| 27 | Columbia, Crawford, Richland, & Sauk | Jess Miller | Richland Center | Rep. |
| 28 | Chippewa & Eau Claire | Davis A. Donnelly | Eau Claire | Dem. |
| 29 | Marathon & Shawano | Hugh M. Jones | Wausau | Rep. |
| 30 | Florence, Forest, Langlade, Marinette, & Oconto | Reuben La Fave | Oconto | Rep. |
| 31 | Adams, Juneau, Monroe, Marquette, & Vernon | J. Earl Leverich | Sparta | Rep. |
| 32 | Jackson, La Crosse, & Trempealeau | Raymond Bice Sr. | La Crosse | Rep. |
| 33 | Jefferson & Waukesha | Chester Dempsey | Hartland | Rep. |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Seventy-Third Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate Dist. | County | Dist. | Representative | Party | Residence |
| 31 | Adams, Juneau, & Marquette | Adams, Juneau, & Marquette | Ben Tremain | Rep. | Hustler |
| 25 | Ashland & Bayfield | Ashland & Bayfield | Vic C. Wallin | Rep. | Grand View |
| 23 | Barron | Barron | Charles H. Sykes | Rep. | Cameron |
| 02 | Brown | 1 | Jerome Quinn | Rep. | Green Bay |
| 02 | Brown | 2 | Robert E. Lynch | Dem. | Green Bay |
| 02 | Brown | 3 | Edward A. Seymour | Rep. | De Pere |
| 10 | Buffalo, Pepin, & Pierce | Buffalo, Pepin, & Pierce | Mamre H. Ward | Rep. | Durand |
| 23 | Burnett & Polk | Burnett & Polk | Lowell A. Nelson | Rep. | Grantsburg |
| 19 | Calumet | Calumet | Henry M. Peters | Rep. | Menasha |
| 28 | Chippewa | Chippewa | Wilder W. Crane Jr. | Rep. | Chippewa Falls |
| 24 | Clark | Clark | Corwin C. Guell | Rep. | Thorp |
| 27 | Columbia | Columbia | Everett Bidwell | Rep. | Portage |
| 27 | Crawford & Richland | Crawford & Richland | Milford C. Kintz | Rep. | Richland Center |
| 26 | Dane | 1 | Norman C. Anderson | Dem. | Madison |
| 26 | Dane | 2 | Fred A. Risser | Dem. | Madison |
| 26 | Dane | 3 | Carroll Metzner | Rep. | Madison |
| 16 | Dane | 4 | Carl W. Thompson | Dem. | Stoughton |
| 16 | Dane | 5 | Ervin M. Bruner | Dem. | Verona |
| 13 | Dodge | 1 | Elmer L. Genzmer | Rep. | Mayville |
| 13 | Dodge | 2 | Elmer C. Nitschke | Rep. | Beaver Dam |
| 01 | Door & Kewaunee | Door & Kewaunee | Frank N. Graass | Rep. | Sturgeon Bay |
| 25 | Douglas | 1 | Reino A. Perala | Dem. | Superior |
| 25 | Douglas | 2 | Lawrence M. Hagen | Rep. | Superior |
| 10 | Dunn | Dunn | William E. Owen | Rep. | Menomonie |
| 28 | Eau Claire | 1 | Dennis B. Danielson | Rep. | Eau Claire |
| 28 | Eau Claire | 2 | John T. Pritchard | Rep. | Eau Claire |
| 30 | Florence, Forest, & Langlade | Florence, Forest, & Langlade | Alfred J. Lauby | Dem. | Antigo |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 1 | Earl F. McEssy | Rep. | Fond du Lac |
| 18 | Fond du Lac | 2 | Fred W. Schlueter | Rep. | Ripon |
| 17 | Grant | Grant | Hugh A. Harper | Rep. | Lancaster |
| 17 | Green | Green | Christian M. Stauffer | Rep. | Monticello |
| 18 | Green Lake & Waushara | Green Lake & Waushara | Franklin M. Jahnke | Rep. | Markesan |
| 17 | Iowa & Lafayette | Iowa & Lafayette | Walter B. Calvert | Rep. | Benton |
| 12 | Iron, Oneida, & Vilas | Iron, Oneida, & Vilas | Marvin E. Dillman | Rep. | Lac du Flambeau |
| 32 | Jackson & Trempealeau | Jackson & Trempealeau | Keith C. Hardie | Dem. | Taylor |
| 33 | Jefferson | Jefferson | Byron F. Wackett | Rep. | Watertown |
| 22 | Kenosha | 1 | George Molinaro | Dem. | Kenosha |
| 22 | Kenosha | 2 | Earl D. Morton | Rep. | Kenosha |
| 32 | La Crosse | 1 | James D. H. Peterson | Rep. | La Crosse |
| 32 | La Crosse | 2 | Eugene A. Toepel | Rep. | La Crosse |
| 12 | Lincoln | Lincoln | Emil A. Hinz | Rep. | Merrill |
| 01 | Manitowoc | 1 | Hugo E. Vogel | Dem. | Manitowoc |
| 01 | Manitowoc | 2 | Ewald J. Schmeichel | Rep. | Two Rivers |
| 29 | Marathon | 1 | Ben A. Riehle | Dem. | Athens |
| 29 | Marathon | 2 | Paul A. Luedtke | Rep. | Wausau |
| 30 | Marinette | Marinette | Robert Haase | Rep. | Marinette |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 1 | Louis L. Merz | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 09 | Milwaukee | 2 | Norman Sussman | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 09 | Milwaukee | 3 | Joseph A. Greco | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 11 | Milwaukee | 4 | Joseph P. Murphy | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 5 | Lawrence W. Timmerman | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 09 | Milwaukee | 6 | Isaac N. Coggs | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 7 | Allen J. Flannigan | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 11 | Milwaukee | 8 | George Talsky | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 9 | Charles J. Schmidt | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 10 | Michael F. O'Connell | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 11 | Ervin J. Ryczek | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 12 | George Sokolowski | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 06 | Milwaukee | 13 | Marty Larsen | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 03 | Milwaukee | 14 | David Mogilka | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 05 | Milwaukee | 15 | Earle W. Fricker | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 11 | Milwaukee | 16 | Thomas J. Duffey | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 17 | Howard F. Pellant | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 18 | John R. Meyer | Rep. | Milwaukee |
| 04 | Milwaukee | 19 | Jerris Leonard | Rep. | Bayside |
| 08 | Milwaukee | 20 | Glen Pommerening | Rep. | Wauwatosa |
| 08 | Milwaukee | 21 | Robert R. Heider | Rep. | West Allis |
| 08 | Milwaukee | 22 | Robert T. Huber | Dem. | West Allis |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 23 | William Luebke | Dem. | Milwaukee |
| 07 | Milwaukee | 24 | Sherman R. Sobocinski | Dem. | South Milwaukee |
| 31 | Monroe | Monroe | Kyle Kenyon | Rep. | Tomah |
| 30 | Oconto | Oconto | Lloyd R. Baumgart | Rep. | Lena |
| 14 | Outagamie | 1 | Fred H. Frank (died Jul. 10, 1957) | Rep. | Appleton |
| 14 | Outagamie | 2 | William T. Sullivan | Rep. | Kaukauna |
| 20 | Ozaukee | Ozaukee | Warren A. Grady | Rep. | Port Washington |
| 24 | Portage | Portage | John Kostuck | Dem. | Stevens Point |
| 12 | Price & Taylor | Price & Taylor | Vincent J. Zellinger | Rep. | Phillips |
| 21 | Racine | 1 | Earl W. Warren | Dem. | Racine |
| 21 | Racine | 2 | Roy E. Naleid | Dem. | Racine |
| 21 | Racine | 3 | Anthony B. Rewald | Rep. | Burlington |
| 15 | Rock | 1 | William Merriam | Rep. | Janesville |
| 15 | Rock | 2 | David Blanchard | Rep. | Edgerton |
| 15 | Rock | 3 | George B. Belting | Rep. | Beloit |
| 23 | Rusk, Sawyer, & Washburn | Rusk, Sawyer, & Washburn | Willis J. Hutnik | Rep. | Tony |
| 27 | Sauk | Sauk | James R. Stone | Rep. | Reedsburg |
| 29 | Shawano | Shawano | Robert G. Marotz | Rep. | Shawano |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 1 | Walter R. Schmidt | Rep. | Sheboygan |
| 20 | Sheboygan | 2 | Harold F. Huibregtse | Rep. | Sheboygan Falls |
| 10 | St. Croix | St. Croix | William W. Ward | Dem. | New Richmond |
| 16 | Vernon | Vernon | Bernard Lewison | Rep. | Viroqua |
| 22 | Walworth | Walworth | Ora R. Rice | Rep. | Delavan |
| 13 | Washington | Washington | Elmer J. Schowalter | Rep. | Jackson |
| 33 | Waukesha | 1 | Alvin J. Redford | Rep. | Waukesha |
| 33 | Waukesha | 2 | Harold W. Clemens | Rep. | Oconomowoc |
| 14 | Waupaca | Waupaca | Richard E. Peterson | Rep. | Clintonville |
| 19 | Winnebago | 1 | Harvey R. Abraham | Rep. | Oshkosh |
| 19 | Winnebago | 2 | Joseph H. Anderson | Rep. | Winneconne |
| 19 | Winnebago | 3 | Arnold J. Cane | Rep. | Menasha |
| 24 | Wood | 1 | John S. Crawford | Rep. | Marshfield |
| 24 | Wood | 2 | Arthur J. Crowns | Rep. | Wisconsin Rapids |

## Committees
### Senate committees

* Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture – H. M. Jones, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Conservation – C. Krueger, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Education – W. W. Clark, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Governmental and Veterans Affairs – L. P. O'Brien, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Highways – J. Miller, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Interstate Cooperation – F. E. Panzer, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary – W. L. Merten, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Labor, Taxation, Insurance, and Banking – W. Trinke, chair
* Senate Standing Committee on Public Welfare – P. P. Carr, chair
* Senate Special Committee on Committees – J. Miller, chair
* Senate Special Committee on Contingent Expenditures – L. H. Prange, chair
* Senate Special Committee on Legislative Procedure – F. E. Panzer, chair

### Assembly committees

* Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture – O. R. Rice, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Manufactures – J. S. Crawford, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Conservation – M. E. Dillman, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures – B. Lewison, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Education – W. B. Calvert, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Elections – V. C. Wallin, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed Bills – M. C. Kintz, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled Bills – C. H. Sykes, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and Fees – H. R. Abraham, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Highways – E. C. Nitschke, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and Banking – R. E. Peterson, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on the Judiciary – E. A. Toepel, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Labor – E. L. Genzmer, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Municipalities – P. A. Luedtke, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Printing – E. A. Hinz, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Public Welfare – M. H. Ward, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Revision – A. J. Redford, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Rules – W. A. Grady, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on State Affairs – D. Blanchard, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Taxation – G. Pommerening, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Third Reading – H. M. Peters, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Transportation – L. M. Hagen, chair
* Assembly Standing Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs – B. F. Wackett, chair

### Joint committees

* Joint Standing Committee on Finance – A. A. Laun (Sen.) & J. R. Stone (Asm.), co-chairs
* Joint Standing Committee on Revisions, Repeals, and Uniform Laws – A. Busby (Sen.) & A. J. Cane (Asm.), co-chairs
* Joint Legislative Council – R. G. Marotz, chair

## Employees
### Senate employees

* Chief Clerk: Lawrence R. Larsen
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Harold Damon

### Assembly employees

* Chief Clerk: Arthur L. May
* Sergeant-at-Arms: Norris J. Kellman