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.

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 elections, 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 Constitution of Wisconsin, state constitution putting some limits on the Governor's Line-item veto in the United States#Wisconsin, line-item veto powers.
* August 28, 2008: Barack Obama 2008 Democratic National Convention, 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 Bankruptcy of 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 2008 United States presidential election, 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
Created the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board and abolished the old state elections board and state ethics board.

Party summary

Senate summary

Assembly summary

Sessions

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

Leadership

Senate leadership

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

Majority leadership

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

Minority leadership

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

Assembly leadership

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

Majority leadership

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

Minority leadership

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

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:

Notes

References

External links

2007–2008 Session
from Wisconsin Legislature

{{Wisconsin legislatures

2007 in Wisconsin
2008 in Wisconsin
2007 U.S. legislative sessions, Wisconsin
2008 U.S. legislative sessions, Wisconsin
Wisconsin legislative sessions