# 97th Wisconsin Legislature

The Ninety-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 3, 2005, to January 3, 2007, in regular session, and held two concurrent special sessions in January 2005 and February 2006, and two extraordinary sessions in July 2005 and April 2006.
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 2, 2004. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of their four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 5, 2002.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Jim Doyle, of Dane County, serving the second two years of a four-year term, having won election in the 2002 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

## Major events

* January 20, 2005: Second inauguration of George W. Bush as President of the United States.
* April 5, 2005: 2005 Wisconsin spring election:
** Wisconsin voters ratified an amendment to the state constitution to double the terms of several county officers from two years to four years.
* November 7, 2006: 2006 United States general election:
** Jim Doyle (D) re-elected Governor of Wisconsin.
** Wisconsin voters ratified an amendment to the state constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

## Party summary
### Senate summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Democratic | Republican | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 15 | 18 | 33 | 0 |
| Start of session | 14 | 19 | 33 | 0 |
| Final voting share | 42.42% | 57.58% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 18 | 15 | 33 | 0 |

### Assembly summary

| | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| | Democratic | Republican | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous Legislature | 40 | 59 | 99 | 0 |
| Start of session | 39 | 60 | 99 | 0 |
| From Oct. 31, 2005 | 39 | 59 | 98 | 1 |
| From Jan. 17, 2006 | 39 | 60 | 99 | 0 |
| From Mar. 21, 2006 | 39 | 59 | 98 | 1 |
| From Aug. 2, 2006 | 39 | 58 | 97 | 2 |
| Final voting share | 40.21% | 59.79% | | |
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 47 | 52 | 99 | 0 |

## Sessions

* Regular session: January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007
* January 2005 special session: January 12, 2005 – January 20, 2005
* July 2005 extraordinary session: July 20, 2005
* February 2006 special session: February 14, 2006 – March 7, 2006
* April 2006 extraordinary session: April 25, 2006 – May 17, 2006

## Leadership
### Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Alan Lasee (R–Rockland)
* President pro tempore: David Zien (R–Wheaton)

#### Majority leadership (Republican)

* Majority Leader: Dale Schultz (R–Richland Center)
* Assistant Majority Leader: Neal Kedzie (R–Elkhorn)
* Majority Caucus Chairperson: Ron Brown (R–Eau Claire)

#### Minority leadership (Democratic)

* Minority Leader: Judy Robson (D–Beloit)
* Assistant Minority Leader: Dave Hansen (D–Green Bay)
* Minority Caucus Chairperson: Jeffrey Plale (D–South Milwaukee)

### Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: John Gard (R–Peshtigo)
* Speaker pro tempore: Stephen Freese (R–Jamestown)

#### Majority leadership (Republican)

* Majority Leader: Michael Huebsch (R–West Salem)
* Assistant Majority Leader: Jeff Fitzgerald (R–Horicon)
* Majority Caucus Chairperson: Daniel P. Vrakas (R–Delafield) (until Oct. 31, 2005)
** Mark Gundrum (R–New Berlin) (after Oct. 31, 2005)
* Majority Caucus Vice Chairperson: Mark Gottlieb (R–Port Washington)
* Majority Caucus Secretary: Carol Owens (R–Nekimi)
* Majority Caucus Sergeant at Arms: Jerry Petrowski (R–Stettin)

#### Minority leadership (Democratic)

* Minority Leader: James Kreuser (D–Kenosha)
* Assistant Minority Leader: Jon Richards (D–Milwaukee)
* Minority Caucus Chairperson: Robert L. Turner (D–Racine)
* Minority Caucus Vice Chairperson: Gary Sherman (D–Port Wing)
* Minority Caucus Secretary: Amy Sue Vruwink (D–Milladore)
* Minority Caucus Sergeant at Arms: Jennifer Shilling (D–La Crosse)

## Members
### Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Ninety-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature:
| Dist. | Senator | Party | Age (2005) | Home | First elected |
| 01 | Alan Lasee | Rep. | 67 | Rockland, Brown County | 1977 |
| 02 | Robert Cowles | Rep. | 54 | Green Bay, Brown County | 1987 |
| 03 | Tim Carpenter | Dem. | 44 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 2002 |
| 04 | Lena Taylor | Dem. | 38 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 2004 |
| 05 | Tom Reynolds | Rep. | 48 | West Allis, Milwaukee County | 2002 |
| 06 | Spencer Coggs | Dem. | 55 | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 2003 |
| 07 | Jeffrey Plale | Dem. | 36 | South Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | 2003 |
| 08 | Alberta Darling | Rep. | 60 | River Hills, Milwaukee County | 1992 |
| 09 | Joe Leibham | Rep. | 35 | Sheboygan, Sheboygan County | 2002 |
| 10 | Sheila Harsdorf | Rep. | 48 | River Falls, Pierce County | 2000 |
| 11 | Neal Kedzie | Rep. | 48 | Elkhorn, Walworth County | 2002 |
| 12 | Roger Breske | Dem. | 66 | Elderon, Marathon County | 1990 |
| 13 | Scott L. Fitzgerald | Rep. | 41 | Clyman, Dodge County | 1994 |
| 14 | Luther Olsen | Rep. | 53 | Ripon, Fond du Lac County | 2004 |
| 15 | Judy Robson | Dem. | 65 | Beloit, Rock County | 1987 |
| 16 | Mark F. Miller | Dem. | 61 | Monona, Dane County | 2004 |
| 17 | Dale Schultz | Rep. | 51 | Richland Center, Richland County | 1991 |
| 18 | Carol Roessler | Rep. | 56 | Oshkosh, Winnebago County | 1987 |
| 19 | Michael G. Ellis | Rep. | 63 | Neenah, Winnebago County | 1982 |
| 20 | Glenn Grothman | Rep. | 49 | West Bend, Washington County | 2004 |
| 21 | Cathy Stepp | Rep. | 41 | Sturtevant, Racine County | 2002 |
| 22 | Robert Wirch | Dem. | 61 | Pleasant Prairie, Kenosha County | 1996 |
| 23 | David Zien | Rep. | 54 | Wheaton, Chippewa County | 1993 |
| 24 | Julie Lassa | Dem. | 34 | Stevens Point, Portage County | 2003 |
| 25 | Robert Jauch | Dem. | 59 | Poplar, Douglas County | 1986 |
| 26 | Fred Risser | Dem. | 77 | Madison, Dane County | 1962 |
| 27 | Jon Erpenbach | Dem. | 43 | Middleton, Dane County | 1998 |
| 28 | Mary Lazich | Rep. | 52 | New Berlin, Waukesha County | 1998 |
| 29 | Russ Decker | Dem. | 51 | Weston, Marathon County | 1990 |
| 30 | Dave Hansen | Dem. | 57 | Green Bay, Brown County | 2000 |
| 31 | Ron Brown | Rep. | 58 | Eau Claire, Eau Claire County | 2002 |
| 32 | Dan Kapanke | Rep. | 57 | La Crosse, La Crosse County | 2004 |
| 33 | Theodore Kanavas | Rep. | 43 | Brookfield, Waukesha County | 2001 |

### Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Ninety-Seventh Wisconsin Legislature:
| Senate District | Assembly District | Representative | Party | Age (2005) | Home | First Elected |
| 01 | 01 | Garey Bies | Rep. | 58 | Sister Bay | 2000 |
| 01 | 02 | Frank Lasee | Rep. | 43 | Bellevue | 1994 |
| 01 | 03 | Alvin Ott | Rep. | 55 | Brillion | 1986 |
| 02 | 04 | Phil Montgomery | Rep. | 47 | Ashwaubenon | 1998 |
| 02 | 05 | Tom Nelson | Dem. | 28 | Kaukauna | 2004 |
| 02 | 06 | John Ainsworth | Rep. | 64 | Waukechon | 1990 |
| 03 | 07 | Peggy Krusick | Dem. | 48 | Milwaukee | 1983 |
| 03 | 08 | Pedro Colón | Dem. | 36 | Milwaukee | 1998 |
| 03 | 09 | Josh Zepnick | Dem. | 36 | Milwaukee | 2002 |
| 04 | 10 | Annette P. Williams | Dem. | 67 | Milwaukee | 1980 |
| 04 | 11 | Jason Fields | Dem. | 30 | Milwaukee | 2004 |
| 04 | 12 | Fred Kessler | Dem. | 64 | Milwaukee | 1960 |
| 05 | 13 | David Cullen | Dem. | 44 | Milwaukee | 1990 |
| 05 | 14 | Leah Vukmir | Rep. | 46 | Wauwatosa | 2002 |
| 05 | 15 | Tony Staskunas | Dem. | 43 | West Allis | 1996 |
| 06 | 16 | Leon Young | Dem. | 37 | Milwaukee | 1992 |
| 06 | 17 | Barbara Toles | Dem. | 48 | Milwaukee | 2004 |
| 06 | 18 | Tamara Grigsby | Dem. | 30 | Milwaukee | 2004 |
| 07 | 19 | Jon Richards | Dem. | 41 | Milwaukee | 1998 |
| 07 | 20 | Christine Sinicki | Dem. | 44 | Milwaukee | 1998 |
| 07 | 21 | Mark Honadel | Rep. | 48 | South Milwaukee | 2003 |
| 08 | 22 | Sheldon Wasserman | Dem. | 43 | Milwaukee | 1994 |
| 08 | 23 | Curt Gielow | Rep. | 59 | Mequon | 2002 |
| 08 | 24 | Suzanne Jeskewitz | Rep. | 62 | Menomonee Falls | 1996 |
| 09 | 25 | Bob Ziegelbauer | Dem. | 53 | Manitowoc | 1992 |
| 09 | 26 | Terry Van Akkeren | Dem. | 50 | Sheboygan | 2002 |
| 09 | 27 | Steve Kestell | Rep. | 49 | Herman | 1998 |
| 10 | 28 | Mark Pettis | Rep. | 54 | Hertel | 1998 |
| 10 | 29 | Andy Lamb | Rep. | 31 | Menomonie | 2004 |
| 10 | 30 | Kitty Rhoades | Rep. | 53 | Hudson | 1998 |
| 11 | 31 | Stephen Nass | Rep. | 52 | Whitewater | 1990 |
| 11 | 32 | Thomas Lothian | Rep. | 76 | Williams Bay | 2002 |
| 11 | 33 | Daniel P. Vrakas (res. Oct. 31, 2005) | Rep. | 49 | Hartland | 1990 |
| 11 | 33 | Scott Newcomer (res. Jan. 17, 2006) | Rep. | 40 | Hartland | 2006 |
| 12 | 34 | Dan Meyer | Rep. | 56 | Eagle River | 2000 |
| 12 | 35 | Donald Friske | Rep. | 43 | Merrill | 2000 |
| 12 | 36 | Jeffrey Mursau | Rep. | 50 | Crivitz | 2004 |
| 13 | 37 | David Ward (res. Aug. 2, 2006) | Rep. | 51 | Oakland | 1992 |
| --Vacant from Aug. 2, 2006-- |||||
| 13 | 38 | Joel Kleefisch | Rep. | 33 | Oconomowoc | 2004 |
| 13 | 39 | Jeff Fitzgerald | Rep. | 38 | Horicon | 2000 |
| 14 | 40 | Jean Hundertmark | Rep. | 50 | Clintonville | 1998 |
| 14 | 41 | Joan Ballweg | Rep. | 52 | Markesan | 2004 |
| 14 | 42 | J. A. Hines | Rep. | 77 | Oxford | 2001 |
| 15 | 43 | Debi Towns | Rep. | 48 | Janesville | 2002 |
| 15 | 44 | Michael J. Sheridan | Dem. | 46 | Janesville | 2004 |
| 15 | 45 | Chuck Benedict | Dem. | 58 | Beloit | 2004 |
| 16 | 46 | Gary Hebl | Dem. | 53 | Sun Prairie | 2004 |
| 16 | 47 | Eugene Hahn | Rep. | 75 | Springvale | 1990 |
| 16 | 48 | Joe Parisi | Dem. | 44 | Madison | 2004 |
| 17 | 49 | Gabe Loeffelholz | Rep. | 64 | Platteville | 2000 |
| 17 | 50 | Sheryl Albers | Rep. | 50 | Reedsburg | 1991 |
| 17 | 51 | Stephen Freese | Rep. | 44 | Dodgeville | 1990 |
| 18 | 52 | John Townsend | Rep. | 66 | Fond du Lac | 1998 |
| 18 | 53 | Carol Owens | Rep. | 73 | Nekimi | 1992 |
| 18 | 54 | Gregg Underheim | Rep. | 54 | Oshkosh | 1987 |
| 19 | 55 | Dean Kaufert | Rep. | 47 | Neenah | 1990 |
| 19 | 56 | Terri McCormick | Rep. | 48 | Appleton | 2000 |
| 19 | 57 | Steve Wieckert | Rep. | 50 | Appleton | 1996 |
| 20 | 58 | Patricia Strachota | Rep. | 49 | West Bend | 2004 |
| 20 | 59 | Daniel LeMahieu | Rep. | 58 | Oostburg | 2002 |
| 20 | 60 | Mark Gottlieb | Rep. | 48 | Port Washington | 2002 |
| 21 | 61 | Robert L. Turner | Dem. | 57 | Racine | 1990 |
| 21 | 62 | John Lehman | Dem. | 59 | Racine | 1996 |
| 21 | 63 | Robin Vos | Rep. | 36 | Caledonia | 2004 |
| 22 | 64 | James Kreuser | Dem. | 43 | Kenosha | 1993 |
| 22 | 65 | John Steinbrink | Dem. | 55 | Pleasant Prairie | 1996 |
| 22 | 66 | Samantha Kerkman | Rep. | 30 | Burlington | 2000 |
| 23 | 67 | Jeffrey Wood | Rep. | 35 | Chippewa Falls | 2002 |
| 23 | 68 | Terry Moulton | Rep. | 58 | Chippewa Falls | 2004 |
| 23 | 69 | Scott Suder | Rep. | 36 | Abbotsford | 1998 |
| 24 | 70 | Amy Sue Vruwink | Dem. | 29 | Milladore | 2002 |
| 24 | 71 | Louis Molepske | Dem. | 30 | Stevens Point | 2003 |
| 24 | 72 | Marlin Schneider | Dem. | 62 | Wisconsin Rapids | 1970 |
| 25 | 73 | Frank Boyle | Dem. | 59 | Summit | 1986 |
| 25 | 74 | Gary Sherman | Dem. | 55 | Port Wing | 1998 |
| 25 | 75 | Mary Hubler | Dem. | 55 | Rice Lake | 1984 |
| 26 | 76 | Terese Berceau | Dem. | 54 | Madison | 1998 |
| 26 | 77 | Spencer Black | Dem. | 54 | Madison | 1984 |
| 26 | 78 | Mark Pocan | Dem. | 40 | Madison | 1998 |
| 27 | 79 | Sondy Pope-Roberts | Dem. | 54 | Verona | 2002 |
| 27 | 80 | Brett Davis | Rep. | 29 | Oregon | 2004 |
| 27 | 81 | David Travis | Dem. | 56 | Waunakee | 1978 |
| 28 | 82 | Jeff Stone | Rep. | 43 | Greendale | 1998 |
| 28 | 83 | Scott Gunderson | Rep. | 48 | Waterford | 1994 |
| 28 | 84 | Mark Gundrum | Rep. | 34 | New Berlin | 1998 |
| 29 | 85 | Donna J. Seidel | Dem. | 54 | Wausau | 2004 |
| 29 | 86 | Jerry Petrowski | Rep. | 54 | Stettin | 1998 |
| 29 | 87 | Mary Williams | Rep. | 55 | Medford | 2002 |
| 30 | 88 | Judy Krawczyk | Rep. | 65 | Green Bay | 2000 |
| 30 | 89 | John Gard | Rep. | 41 | Peshtigo | 1987 |
| 30 | 90 | Karl Van Roy | Rep. | 66 | Green Bay | 2002 |
| 31 | 91 | Barbara Gronemus | Dem. | 73 | Whitehall | 1982 |
| 31 | 92 | Terry Musser | Rep. | 57 | Irving | 1984 |
| 31 | 93 | Robin Kreibich | Rep. | 45 | Eau Claire | 1992 |
| 32 | 94 | Michael Huebsch | Rep. | 40 | West Salem | 1994 |
| 32 | 95 | Jennifer Shilling | Dem. | 35 | La Crosse | 2000 |
| 32 | 96 | Lee Nerison | Rep. | 52 | Westby | 2004 |
| 33 | 97 | Ann Nischke | Rep. | 53 | Waukesha | 2002 |
| 33 | 98 | Scott Jensen (res. Mar. 21, 2006) | Rep. | 44 | Waukesha | 1992 |
| --Vacant from Mar. 21, 2006-- |||||
| 33 | 99 | Don Pridemore | Rep. | 58 | Hartford | 2004 |