100th Wisconsin Legislature

The One-Hundredth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 3, 2011, through January 7, 2013, in regular session, though it adjourned for legislative activity on May 22, 2012. The legislature also held two special sessions and an extraordinary session during this legislative term.

This session was the start of eight years of unified Republican control of the governor's office and both chambers of the legislature. In this session, new governor Scott Walker pushed through the controversial 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, referred to at the time as the "Budget Repair Bill". The most controversial provision of the law was the stripping of state employees of collective bargaining rights. During consideration of the bill, mass protests erupted at the state capitol, and Democratic state senators fled the state in order to deny the Senate a quorum needed for budgetary legislation. Republicans in the state senate were eventually able to circumvent the quorum issue by stripping out all budgetary items from the bill and passing it as ordinary legislation. The session also saw passage of 2011 Wisconsin Act 43, the dramatic gerrymander which successfully locked in Republican control of the legislature for the next decade.

Following the outrage over Act 10, recall elections were held in 2011 and 2012 in which 13 state senators were challenged. Three were eventually removed from office and replaced by Democrats—one other resigned, but was replaced by a senator of the same party. The result was that Democrats briefly regained the senate majority in the second half of 2012. The governor was also subject to a recall election in 2012, but survived with roughly the same election margin as he had won in the 2010 election.

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.

The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Scott Walker, of Milwaukee County, serving the first two years of a four-year term, having won election in the 2010 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

Major events

* January 3, 2011: Inauguration of Scott Walker as the 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: 2011 Wisconsin recall elections:
** Senators Randy Hopper and Dan Kapanke were defeated in recall elections, they were replaced by Jessica King and Jennifer Shilling, respectively.
** Senators Robert Cowles, Alberta Darling, Sheila Harsdorf, 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: 2012 Wisconsin recall elections:
** Governor Scott Walker survived a recall election.
** Senator Van H. Wanggaard was defeated in a recall election and was replaced by John Lehman.
** Senators Scott L. Fitzgerald and Terry Moulton survived recall elections.
** Jerry Petrowski was 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 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 redistricting
2011 Act 43
An overhaul of Wisconsin legislative voting districts fortified the Republican majorities through gerrymandering.

Party summary

Senate summary

Assembly summary

Sessions

* Regular session: January 3, 2011January 7, 2013
* January 2011 special session: January 4, 2011September 27, 2011
* June 2011 extraordinary session: June 14, 2011August 1, 2011
* September 2011 special session: September 29, 2011December 8, 2011

Leadership

Senate leadership

* President of the Senate: Michael G. Ellis (R–Neenah)
** Fred Risser (D–Madison)
* President pro tempore: Joe Leibham (R–Sheboygan)
** Tim Carpenter (D–Milwaukee)

;Senate majority leadership
* Senate Majority Leader: Scott L. Fitzgerald (R–Juneau)
** Mark Miller (D– Monona)
* Assistant Majority Leader: Glenn Grothman (R– West Bend)
** Dave Hansen (D– Green Bay)
* Majority Caucus Chair: Dan Kapanke (R–La Crosse)
** Pam Galloway (R– Wausau)
** Julie Lassa (D–Stevens Point)
* Majority Caucus Vice Chair: Sheila Harsdorf (R– River Falls)
** Kathleen Vinehout (D–Alma)

;Senate minority leadership
* Senate Minority Leader: Mark Miller (D– Monona)
** Scott L. Fitzgerald (R–Juneau)
* Assistant Minority Leader: Dave Hansen (D– Green Bay)
** Glenn Grothman (R– West Bend)
* Minority Caucus Chair: Julie Lassa (D–Stevens Point)
** Neal Kedzie (R– Elkhorn)
* Minority Caucus Vice Chair: Kathleen Vinehout (D–Alma)
** Sheila Harsdorf (R– River Falls)

Assembly leadership

* Speaker of the Assembly: Jeff Fitzgerald (R– Horicon)
* Speaker pro tempore: Bill Kramer (R– Waukesha)

;Assembly majority leadership (Republican)
* Assembly Majority Leader: Scott Suder (R– Abbotsford)
* Assistant Majority Leader: Dan Knodl (R– Germantown)
* Assembly Majority Caucus Chair: Joan Ballweg (R– Markesan)
* Assembly Majority Caucus Vice Chair: John Murtha (R–Baldwin)
* Assembly Majority Caucus Secretary: Mary Williams (R– Medford)
* Assembly Majority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Samantha Kerkman (R– Randall)

;Assembly minority leadership (Democratic)
* Assembly Minority Leader: Peter Barca (D–Kenosha)
* Assistant Minority Leader: Donna Seidel (D– Wausau)
* Assembly Minority Caucus Chair: Kelda Roys (D–Madison)
* Assembly Minority Caucus Vice Chair: Fred Clark (D–Baraboo)
* Assembly Minority Caucus Secretary: Penny Bernard Schaber (D–Appleton)
* Assembly Minority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Josh Zepnick (D–Milwaukee)

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the One-Hundredth Wisconsin Legislature:

:† Elected in a recall election (2011, 2012)

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the One-Hundredth Wisconsin Legislature:

Changes from the 99th Legislature

Open seats

On April 14, 2011, Joe Parisi resigned from the 48th District after being elected Dane County Executive.

Notes

References

{{Wisconsin legislatures

100
2011 in Wisconsin
2012 in Wisconsin
2011 U.S. legislative sessions
2012 U.S. legislative sessions