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.[1]
| 73rd Wisconsin Legislature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 Wisconsin State Capitol | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Wisconsin Legislature | ||||
| Meeting place | Wisconsin State Capitol | ||||
| Term | January 7, 1957 – January 5, 1959 | ||||
| Election | November 6, 1956 | ||||
| Senate | |||||
| Members | 33 | ||||
| Senate President | Warren P. Knowles (R) | ||||
| President pro tempore | Frank E. Panzer (R) | ||||
| Party control | Republican | ||||
| Assembly | |||||
| Members | 100 | ||||
| Assembly Speaker | Robert G. Marotz (R) | ||||
| Party control | Republican | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
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| Special sessions | |||||
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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.[1]
Major events
edit- 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
edit- 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
editSenate summary
edit
Democratic: 10 seats
Republican: 23 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 8 | 23 | 31 | 2 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 10 | 23 | 33 | 0 |
| From Aug. 19, 1957[note 1] | 22 | 32 | 1 | |
| Final voting share | 31.25% | 68.75% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 13 | 20 | 33 | 0 |
Assembly summary
edit
Democratic: 33 seats
Republican: 67 seats
| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dem. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
| End of previous Legislature | 35 | 63 | 98 | 2 |
| Start of Reg. Session | 33 | 67 | 100 | 0 |
| From Jul. 10, 1957[note 2] | 66 | 99 | 1 | |
| Final voting share | 33.33% | 66.67% | ||
| Beginning of the next Legislature | 55 | 45 | 100 | 0 |
Sessions
edit- Regular session: January 9, 1957 – September 27, 1957
- June 1958 special session: June 11, 1958 – June 13, 1958
Leaders
editSenate leadership
edit- 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
edit- 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
editMembers of the Senate
editMembers of the Senate for the Seventy-Third Wisconsin Legislature:[2]
Democratic: 10 seats
Republican: 23 seats
Members of the Assembly
editMembers of the Assembly for the Seventy-Third Wisconsin Legislature:[2]
Democratic: 33 seats
Republican: 67 seats
Committees
editSenate committees
edit- 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
edit- 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
edit- 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
editSenate employees
edit- Chief Clerk: Lawrence R. Larsen[3]
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Harold Damon
Assembly employees
edit- Chief Clerk: Arthur L. May[3]
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Norris J. Kellman
Notes
edit- ^ Republican Louis H. Prange (20th District) died.
- ^ Republican Fred H. Frank (Outagamie County) died.
References
edit- ^ a b Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2021). "Historical Lists" (PDF). State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2021–2022 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 468, 471, 475, 479–480. ISBN 978-1-7333817-1-0. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1958). "Biographies". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1958 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. pp. 21–66. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1958). "The State Government: Legislative Branch". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1958 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. pp. 303–312. Retrieved October 7, 2023.