The One-Hundredth Wisconsin Legislature convened, in regular session, on January 3, 2011, and concluded on May 22, 2012. A concurrent special session was begun on January 18, 2011, and ran through May 11, 2011, and another brief special session was held from October 25, 2011, through November 3, 2011. There was an additional extraordinary session held from June 14, 2011, through August 1, 2011.
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 2, 2010. 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 4, 2008.
During this session, recall elections were held in
2011 and
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
in which 13 senators were challenged. Three were eventually removed from office and one other resigned, but was replaced by a senator of the same party.
Major events
* January 3, 2011: Inauguration of
Scott Walker as
45th Governor of Wisconsin.
* February 14, 2011:
Major protests began at the Wisconsin State Capitol over the proposed
"Budget Repair" Bill.
* February 17, 2011: 14 Democratic senators fled the state to deny the senate a quorum and prevent passage of the Budget Repair Bill.
* March 9, 2011: Senate Republicans amended the Budget Repair Bill to remove budgetary items, allowing it to pass without a quorum.
* July 19, 2011: Senator
Dave Hansen survived a recall election.
* August 9, 2011: Senators
Randy Hopper
Randal B. "Randy" Hopper is a former Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 18th District from 2009 until losing his seat to Jessica King in a 2011 recall election. The 18th District includes ...
and
Dan Kapanke were defeated in recall elections, they were replaced by
Jessica King
Jessica Jeane King (born July 21, 1975) is an American lawyer and politician from Wisconsin. She is a former Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 18th district when elected in 2011. She defeated incumbent Republican Senato ...
and
Jennifer Shilling
Jennifer Shilling ('' née'' Ehlenfeldt; born July 4, 1969) is an American Democratic politician, lobbyist, and former state legislator. She was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate for nine years and was senate minority leader from 2015 to 2 ...
, respectively. Senators
Robert Cowles
Robert L. Cowles III (born July 31, 1950) is a Republican member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 2nd District since 1987. In August 2011, Cowles faced a recall election, but defeated the Democratic challenger, Nancy Nusbaum, 60 perce ...
,
Alberta Darling
Alberta Darling (born April 28, 1944) is an American politician and former member of the Wisconsin State Senate. She represented Wisconsin's 8th State Senate district from 1993 through 2022 as a Republican. Her constituency included many of the ...
,
Sheila Harsdorf
Sheila E. Harsdorf (born July 25, 1956) is a Republican politician in Wisconsin, most recently serving as Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Harsdorf previously served in the Wisconsin Senate and the Wisconsin ...
, and
Luther Olsen survived recall elections.
* August 16, 2011: Senators
Jim Holperin and
Robert Wirch survived recall elections.
* March 16, 2012:
Pam Galloway resigned from the Wisconsin Senate.
* June 5, 2012: Governor Scott Walker survived a
recall election
A recall election (also called a recall referendum, recall petition or representative recall) is a procedure by which, in certain polities, voters can remove an elected official from office through a referendum before that official's term of of ...
. Senator
Van H. Wanggaard was defeated in a recall election and was replaced by
John Lehman
John Francis Lehman Jr. (born September 14, 1942) is an American private equity investor and writer who served as Secretary of the Navy (1981–1987) in the Ronald Reagan administration where he promoted the creation of a 600-ship Navy. From 2 ...
. Senators
Scott L. Fitzgerald
Scott Lawrence Fitzgerald (born November 16, 1963) is an American politician and former newspaper publisher. A Republican, he represents in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district includes many of Milwaukee's northern and western suburb ...
and
Terry Moulton survived recall elections.
Jerry Petrowski
Jerry Petrowski (born June 16, 1950) is an American politician and a former ginseng, dairy and beef farmer. He is a Republican member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing the 29th Senate District since 2012, and a former State Representa ...
elected to the Senate in a special election.
Major legislation
* March 11, 2011: Act relating to state finances, collective bargaining for public employees, compensation and fringe benefits of public employees, the state civil service system, the Medical Assistance program
2011 Act 10 The controversial
Budget Repair Bill which removed
collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and rights for workers. The ...
rights from state employees, prompted months of protests at the state capitol, and ultimately led to recall elections for thirteen senators and Governor Scott Walker.
* August 9, 2011: Act relating to legislative
redistricting2011 Act 43 An overhaul of Wisconsin legislative voting districts fortified the Republican majorities through
gerrymandering
In representative democracies, gerrymandering (, originally ) is the political manipulation of electoral district boundaries with the intent to create undue advantage for a party, group, or socioeconomic class within the constituency. The m ...
.
Party summary
Senate summary
Assembly summary
Sessions
* 2011-2012 regular session: January 3, 2011 – May 22, 2012
* January 2011 special session: January 18, 2011 – May 11, 2011
* Extraordinary session: June 14, 2011 – August 1, 2011
* September 2011 special session: October 25, 2011 – November 3, 2011
Leaders
* Legislative Leadership for 2011-12
* Wisconsin
Senate leadership
President of the Senate: Sen.
Fred Risser
President pro tempore: Sen.
Tim Carpenter
Timothy W. Carpenter (born February 24, 1960) is an American politician and Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing the 3rd Senate district since 2003. He previously served 18 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly (1985&n ...
Chief Clerk: Hon. Robert J. Marchant
Sergeant at arms: Hon. Edward Blazel
Assembly leadership
Speaker of the Assembly: Rep.
Jeff Fitzgerald
Jeff Fitzgerald (born October 12, 1966) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 78th Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly during the 100th Wisconsin Legislature. A Republican, he represented the 39th Assembly District f ...
Speaker pro tempore: Rep.
Bill Kramer
Chief clerk: Hon. Patrick E. Fuller
Sergeant at arms: Hon. Anne Tonnon Byers
Members
Members of the Senate
:† Elected in a recall election (
2011,
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
)
Members of the Assembly
Changes from the 99th Legislature
Open seats
On April 14, 2011,
Joe Parisi resigned from the 48th District after being elected
Dane County
Dane County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 561,504, making it the second-most populous county in Wisconsin. The county seat is Madison, which is also the state capital.
Dane County is the ...
Executive.
Notes
References
{{Wisconsin legislatures
100
100 or one hundred ( Roman numeral: C) is the natural number following 99 and preceding 101.
In medieval contexts, it may be described as the short hundred or five score in order to differentiate the English and Germanic use of "hundred" to de ...
2011 in Wisconsin
2012 in Wisconsin
2011 U.S. legislative sessions
2012 U.S. legislative sessions