# 98th Wisconsin Legislature

The Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 3, 2007, through January 5, 2009, in regular session, though it adjourned for legislative activity on June 11, 2008. The legislature also held five special sessions during the term.
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, 2006. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of their four-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 2, 2004.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Jim Doyle, of Dane County, serving the first two years of his second four-year term, having won re-election in the 2006 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* January 9, 2007: Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone at a Macworld keynote in San Francisco.
* April 3, 2007: 2007 Wisconsin Spring election:
** Annette Ziegler was elected a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed Jon P. Wilcox.
* April 1, 2008: 2008 Wisconsin Spring election:
** Michael Gableman was elected a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, defeating incumbent justice Louis B. Butler.
** Wisconsin voters ratified an amendment to the state constitution putting some limits on the Governor's line-item veto powers.
* August 28, 2008: Barack Obama accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party for President of the United States, becoming the first African American presidential nominee of a major American political party.
* September 15, 2008: In the midst of the 2007–2008 financial crisis, Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy—the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.
* September 26, 2008: Washington Mutual filed for bankruptcy—the largest bank failure in U.S. history.
* September 29, 2008: The U.S. House of Representatives rejected the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. In response, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 777.68 points (6.98%)—at the time it was the largest point drop in the history of the exchange.
* October 3, 2008: U.S. President George W. Bush signed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier that day.
* October 6–10, 2008: The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1,874.19 points, or 18.2%, on record-breaking volume.
* November 4, 2008: Barack Obama elected President of the United States.

## Major legislation

* February 16, 2007: An Act ... relating to: creation of a Government Accountability Board, enforcement of elections, ethics, and lobbying regulation laws, venue for prosecution of certain offenses, granting rule-making authority, making appropriations, and providing penalties (2007 Act 1). Created the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board and abolished the old state elections board and state ethics board.

## Party summary
### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Dem. | Rep. | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 14 | 19 | 33 | 0 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 18 | 15 | 33 | 0 |
| From Jun. 4, 2008 | 17 | 15 | 32 | 1 |
| From Jul. 4, 2008 | 17 | 14 | 31 | 2 |
| Final voting share | 53.13% | 43.75% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 18 | 15 | 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 | 39 | 0 | 60 | 99 | 0 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 47 | 0 | 52 | 99 | 0 |
| From Jul. 8, 2008 | 47 | 1 | 51 | 99 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 47.47% | 1.01% | 51.52% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 52 | 1 | 46 | 99 | 0 |

## Sessions

* Regular session: January 3, 2007 – January 5, 2009
* January 2007 special session: January 11, 2007 – February 1, 2007
* October 2007 special session: October 15, 2007 – October 23, 2007
* December 2007 special session: December 11, 2007 – May 14, 2008
* March 2008 special session: March 12, 2008 – May 14, 2008
* April 2008 special session: April 17, 2008 – May 15, 2008

## Leadership
### Senate leadership

* President: Fred Risser (D–Madison)
* President pro tempore: Tim Carpenter (D–Milwaukee)

#### Majority leadership

* Majority Leader: Judy Robson (D–Beloit) (until Oct. 24, 2007)
** Russ Decker (D–Weston) (after Oct. 24, 2007)
* Assistant Majority Leader: Dave Hansen (D–Green Bay)
* Majority Caucus Chair: Mark Miller (D–Monona)
* Majority Caucus Vice Chair: Jeffrey Plale (D–South Milwaukee)
* Majority Caucus Secretary: Jim Sullivan (D–Wauwatosa)
* Majority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Spencer Coggs (D–Milwaukee)

#### Minority leadership

* Minority Leader: Scott L. Fitzgerald (R–Juneau)
* Assistant Minority Leader: Joe Leibham (R–Sheboygan)
* Minority Caucus Chair: Glenn Grothman (R–West Bend)
* Minority Caucus Vice Chair: Carol Roessler (R–Oshkosh)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: Michael Huebsch (R–West Salem)
* Speaker pro tempore: Mark Gottlieb (R–Port Washington)

#### Majority leadership

* Majority Leader: Jeff Fitzgerald (R–Horicon)
* Assistant Majority Leader: Mark Gundrum (R–New Berlin)
* Majority Caucus Chair: Mark Honadel (R–South Milwaukee)
* Majority Caucus Vice Chair: Patricia Strachota (R–West Bend)
* Majority Caucus Secretary: Mary Williams (R–Medford)
* Majority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Jerry Petrowski (R–Marathon)

#### Minority leadership

* Minority Leader: James Kreuser (D–Kenosha)
* Assistant Minority Leader: Jon Richards (D–Milwaukee)
* Minority Caucus Chair: Tony Staskunas (D–West Allis)
* Minority Caucus Vice Chair: Tamara Grigsby (D–Milwaukee)
* Minority Caucus Secretary: Donna J. Seidel (D–Wausau)
* Minority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Ann Hraychuck (D–Balsam Lake)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Senator | Party | Age (2007) | Home | First elected |
| 01 | Alan Lasee | Rep. | 69 | De Pere, Brown County | 1977 |
| 02 | Robert Cowles | Rep. | 56 | Green Bay, Brown County | 1987 |
| 03 | Tim Carpenter | Dem. | 46 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 2002 |
| 04 | Lena Taylor | Dem. | 40 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 2004 |
| 05 | Jim Sullivan | Dem. | 39 | Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County | 2006 |
| 06 | Spencer Coggs | Dem. | 57 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 2003 |
| 07 | Jeffrey Plale | Dem. | 38 | South Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 2003 |
| 08 | Alberta Darling | Rep. | 62 | River Hills, Milwaukee County | 1992 |
| 09 | Joe Leibham | Rep. | 37 | Sheboygan, Sheboygan County | 2002 |
| 10 | Sheila Harsdorf | Rep. | 50 | River Falls, Pierce County | 2000 |
| 11 | Neal Kedzie | Rep. | 50 | Elkhorn, Walworth County | 2002 |
| 12 | Roger Breske (res. Jun. 4, 2008) | Dem. | 68 | Eland, Shawano County | 1990 |
| --Vacant from Jun. 4, 2008-- |||||
| 13 | Scott L. Fitzgerald | Rep. | 43 | Juneau, Dodge County | 1994 |
| 14 | Luther Olsen | Rep. | 55 | Ripon, Fond du Lac County | 2004 |
| 15 | Judy Robson | Dem. | 68 | Beloit, Rock County | 1998 |
| 16 | Mark Miller | Dem. | 63 | Monona, Dane County | 2004 |
| 17 | Dale Schultz | Rep. | 53 | Richland Center, Richland County | 1991 |
| 18 | Carol Roessler (res. Jul. 4, 2008) | Rep. | 58 | Oshkosh, Winnebago County | 1987 |
| --Vacant from Jul. 4, 2008-- |||||
| 19 | Michael G. Ellis | Rep. | 65 | Neenah, Winnebago County | 1982 |
| 20 | Glenn Grothman | Rep. | 51 | West Bend, Washington County | 2004 |
| 21 | John W. Lehman | Dem. | 61 | Racine, Racine County | 2006 |
| 22 | Robert Wirch | Dem. | 63 | Pleasant Prairie, Kenosha County | 1996 |
| 23 | Pat Kreitlow | Dem. | 42 | Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County | 2006 |
| 24 | Julie Lassa | Dem. | 36 | Stevens Point, Portage County | 2003 |
| 25 | Robert Jauch | Dem. | 61 | Poplar, Douglas County | 1986 |
| 26 | Fred Risser | Dem. | 79 | Madison, Dane County | 1962 |
| 27 | Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | 45 | Middleton, Dane County | 1998 |
| 28 | Mary Lazich | Rep. | 54 | New Berlin, Waukesha County | 1998 |
| 29 | Russ Decker | Dem. | 53 | Schofield, Marathon County | 1990 |
| 30 | Dave Hansen | Dem. | 59 | Green Bay, Brown County | 2000 |
| 31 | Kathleen Vinehout | Dem. | 48 | Alma, Buffalo County | 2006 |
| 32 | Dan Kapanke | Rep. | 59 | La Crosse, La Crosse County | 2004 |
| 33 | Theodore Kanavas | Rep. | 45 | Brookfield, Waukesha County | 2001 |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate District | Assembly District | Representative | Party | Age (2007) | Home | First Elected |
| 01 | 01 | Garey Bies | Rep. | 60 | Sister Bay | 2000 |
| 01 | 02 | Frank Lasee | Rep. | 45 | Bellevue | 1994 |
| 01 | 03 | Alvin Ott | Rep. | 57 | Forest Junction | 1986 |
| 02 | 04 | Phil Montgomery | Rep. | 49 | Green Bay | 1998 |
| 02 | 05 | Tom Nelson | Dem. | 30 | Kaukauna | 2004 |
| 02 | 06 | Gary Tauchen | Rep. | 53 | Bonduel | 2006 |
| 03 | 07 | Peggy Krusick | Dem. | 50 | Milwaukee | 1983 |
| 03 | 08 | Pedro Colón | Dem. | 38 | Milwaukee | 1998 |
| 03 | 09 | Josh Zepnick | Dem. | 38 | Milwaukee | 2002 |
| 04 | 10 | Annette Polly Williams | Dem. | 69 | Milwaukee | 1980 |
| 04 | 11 | Jason Fields | Dem. | 32 | Milwaukee | 2004 |
| 04 | 12 | Fred Kessler | Dem. | 66 | Milwaukee | 1960 |
| 05 | 13 | David Cullen | Dem. | 46 | Milwaukee | 1990 |
| 05 | 14 | Leah Vukmir | Rep. | 48 | Wauwatosa | 2002 |
| 05 | 15 | Tony Staskunas | Dem. | 45 | West Allis | 1996 |
| 06 | 16 | Leon Young | Dem. | 39 | Milwaukee | 1992 |
| 06 | 17 | Barbara Toles | Dem. | 50 | Milwaukee | 2004 |
| 06 | 18 | Tamara Grigsby | Dem. | 32 | Milwaukee | 2004 |
| 07 | 19 | Jon Richards | Dem. | 43 | Milwaukee | 1998 |
| 07 | 20 | Christine Sinicki | Dem. | 46 | Milwaukee | 1998 |
| 07 | 21 | Mark Honadel | Rep. | 50 | South Milwaukee | 2003 |
| 08 | 22 | Sheldon Wasserman | Dem. | 45 | Milwaukee | 1994 |
| 08 | 23 | Jim Ott | Rep. | 59 | Mequon | 2006 |
| 08 | 24 | Suzanne Jeskewitz | Rep. | 64 | Menomonee Falls | 1996 |
| 09 | 25 | Bob Ziegelbauer | Dem. | 55 | Manitowoc | 1992 |
| 09 | 26 | Terry Van Akkeren | Dem. | 52 | Sheboygan | 2002 |
| 09 | 27 | Steve Kestell | Rep. | 51 | Elkhart Lake | 1998 |
| 10 | 28 | Ann Hraychuck | Dem. | 55 | Balsam Lake | 2006 |
| 10 | 29 | John Murtha | Rep. | 55 | Baldwin | 2006 |
| 10 | 30 | Kitty Rhoades | Rep. | 55 | Hudson | 1998 |
| 11 | 31 | Stephen Nass | Rep. | 54 | La Grange | 1990 |
| 11 | 32 | Thomas Lothian | Rep. | 78 | Williams Bay | 2002 |
| 11 | 33 | Scott Newcomer | Rep. | 41 | Pewaukee | 2006 |
| 12 | 34 | Dan Meyer | Rep. | 58 | Eagle River | 2000 |
| 12 | 35 | Donald Friske | Rep. | 45 | Merrill | 2000 |
| 12 | 36 | Jeffrey Mursau | Rep. | 52 | Crivitz | 2004 |
| 13 | 37 | Andy Jorgensen | Dem. | 39 | Fort Atkinson | 2004 |
| 13 | 38 | Joel Kleefisch | Rep. | 35 | Oconomowoc | 2004 |
| 13 | 39 | Jeff Fitzgerald | Rep. | 40 | Horicon | 2000 |
| 14 | 40 | Kevin David Petersen | Rep. | 42 | Waupaca | 2006 |
| 14 | 41 | Joan Ballweg | Rep. | 54 | Markesan | 2004 |
| 14 | 42 | J. A. Hines | Rep. | 79 | Oxford | 2001 |
| 15 | 43 | Kim Hixson | Dem. | 49 | Whitewater | 2006 |
| 15 | 44 | Michael J. Sheridan | Dem. | 48 | Janesville | 2004 |
| 15 | 45 | Chuck Benedict | Dem. | 60 | Beloit | 2004 |
| 16 | 46 | Gary Hebl | Dem. | 55 | Sun Prairie | 2004 |
| 16 | 47 | Eugene Hahn | Rep. | 77 | Cambria | 1990 |
| 16 | 48 | Joe Parisi | Dem. | 46 | Madison | 2004 |
| 17 | 49 | Phil Garthwaite | Dem. | 34 | Fennimore | 2006 |
| 17 | 50 | Sheryl Albers | Rep. | 52 | Reedsburg | 1991 |
| 17 | 51 | Steve Hilgenberg | Dem. | 62 | Dodgeville | 2006 |
| 18 | 52 | John Townsend | Rep. | 68 | Fond du Lac | 1998 |
| 18 | 53 | Carol Owens | Rep. | 75 | Oshkosh | 1992 |
| 18 | 54 | Gordon Hintz | Dem. | 34 | Oshkosh | 2006 |
| 19 | 55 | Dean Kaufert | Rep. | 49 | Neenah | 1990 |
| 19 | 56 | Roger Roth | Rep. | 28 | Appleton | 2006 |
| 19 | 57 | Steve Wieckert | Rep. | 28 | Appleton | 1996 |
| 20 | 58 | Patricia Strachota | Rep. | 51 | West Bend | 2004 |
| 20 | 59 | Daniel LeMahieu | Rep. | 60 | Cascade | 2002 |
| 20 | 60 | Mark Gottlieb | Rep. | 50 | Port Washington | 2002 |
| 21 | 61 | Robert L. Turner | Dem. | 59 | Racine | 1990 |
| 21 | 62 | Cory Mason | Dem. | 33 | Racine | 2006 |
| 21 | 63 | Robin Vos | Rep. | 38 | Caledonia | 2004 |
| 22 | 64 | James Kreuser | Dem. | 45 | Kenosha | 1993 |
| 22 | 65 | John Steinbrink | Dem. | 57 | Pleasant Prairie | 1996 |
| 22 | 66 | Samantha Kerkman | Rep. | 32 | Randall | 2000 |
| 23 | 67 | Jeffrey Wood | Rep. | 37 | Chippewa Falls | 2002 |
| 23 | 68 | Terry Moulton | Rep. | 60 | Eau Claire | 2004 |
| 23 | 69 | Scott Suder | Rep. | 38 | Abbotsford | 1998 |
| 24 | 70 | Amy Sue Vruwink | Dem. | 31 | Milladore | 2002 |
| 24 | 71 | Louis Molepske | Dem. | 32 | Stevens Point | 2003 |
| 24 | 72 | Marlin Schneider | Dem. | 64 | Wisconsin Rapids | 1970 |
| 25 | 73 | Frank Boyle | Dem. | 61 | Superior | 1986 |
| 25 | 74 | Gary Sherman | Dem. | 57 | Port Wing | 1998 |
| 25 | 75 | Mary Hubler | Dem. | 54 | Rice Lake | 1984 |
| 26 | 76 | Terese Berceau | Dem. | 56 | Madison | 1998 |
| 26 | 77 | Spencer Black | Dem. | 56 | Madison | 1984 |
| 26 | 78 | Mark Pocan | Dem. | 42 | Madison | 1998 |
| 27 | 79 | Sondy Pope-Roberts | Dem. | 56 | Verona | 2002 |
| 27 | 80 | Brett Davis | Rep. | 31 | Oregon | 2004 |
| 27 | 81 | David Travis | Dem. | 58 | Waunakee | 1978 |
| 28 | 82 | Jeff Stone | Rep. | 45 | Greendale | 1978 |
| 28 | 83 | Scott Gunderson | Rep. | 50 | Waterford | 1994 |
| 28 | 84 | Mark Gundrum | Rep. | 36 | New Berlin | 1998 |
| 29 | 85 | Donna Seidel | Dem. | 56 | Wausau | 2004 |
| 29 | 86 | Jerry Petrowski | Rep. | 56 | Marathon | 1998 |
| 29 | 87 | Mary Williams | Rep. | 57 | Medford | 2002 |
| 30 | 88 | James Soletski | Dem. | 58 | Green Bay | 2006 |
| 30 | 89 | John Nygren | Rep. | 42 | Marinette | 2006 |
| 30 | 90 | Karl Van Roy | Rep. | 68 | Green Bay | 2002 |
| 31 | 91 | Barbara Gronemus | Dem. | 75 | Whitehall | 1982 |
| 31 | 92 | Terry Musser | Rep. | 59 | Black River Falls | 1984 |
| 31 | 93 | Jeff Smith | Dem. | 51 | Eau Claire | 2006 |
| 32 | 94 | Michael Huebsch | Rep. | 42 | West Salem | 1994 |
| 32 | 95 | Jennifer Shilling | Dem. | 37 | La Crosse | 2000 |
| 32 | 96 | Lee Nerison | Rep. | 54 | Westby | 2004 |
| 33 | 97 | Bill Kramer | Rep. | 41 | Waukesha | 2006 |
| 33 | 98 | Rich Zipperer | Rep. | 32 | Pewaukee | 2006 |
| 33 | 99 | Don Pridemore | Rep. | 60 | Hartford | 2004 |