The Ninety-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 5, 2009, through January 3, 2011, in regular session, though it adjourned for legislative activity on May 26, 2010. The legislature also held two special sessions and four extraordinary sessions during this legislative term.
This session represented the first time the Democratic Party of Wisconsin held full control of state government since 1986.
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 4, 2008. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of their four-year term, having been elected in the general election held on November 7, 2006.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Jim Doyle, of Dane County, serving the second two years of his second four-year term, having won re-election in the 2006 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.
Major events January 20, 2009: Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. February 17, 2009: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law by President Obama. March 6, 2009: The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 6,443.27, its lowest level of the 2008 financial crisis. It was 54% from its peak at 14,164 on October 9, 2007. May 12, 2009: The Wisconsin Senate called an extraordinary session to deal with Assembly Bill 255relating to eligibility for unemployment benefits and other matters relating to disbursement of funds from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. June 9, 2009: The Wisconsin Senate called an extraordinary session to deal with Senate Bill 232relating to payment of funds to state public schools. June 24, 2009: Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle called a Special session of the Legislature to act upon legislation relating to the hospital assessment, medical assistance and collecting federal revenue related to the assessment. November 2, 2010: Scott Walker (R) elected Governor of Wisconsin. Ron Johnson (R) elected United States senator from Wisconsin. December 16, 2009: The Wisconsin Senate called an extraordinary session to deal with Senate Bill 66relating to laws on driving under the influence of alcohol. Governor Doyle called a special session of the Legislature to act on Senate Bill 405 and Assembly Bill 534relating to rules governing the Milwaukee Public Schools.
Major legislation January 29, 2009: Act relating to payment of Wisconsin supplemental and extended unemployment insurance benefits in this state. 2009 Wisc. Act 1 May 15, 2009: Act relating to eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits and payment of extended benefits; excluding recovery and reinvestment act moneys from the calculation of expenditure restraint payments; eligibility for participation in the programs of a community action agency; financial assistance under the Clean Water Fund Program and the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program; the confidentiality of pupil records provided to the Department of Public Instruction; financial assistance for criminal justice programs; authorizing political subdivisions to make residential energy efficiency improvement loans and impose special charges for the loans; definition of low-income household under energy and weatherization assistance programs; eligibility and notice changes for state continuation of coverage for health insurance; changes to enterprise zone jobs credits; state aid to school districts; providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures; granting rule-making authority; and making an appropriation. 2009 Wisc. Act 11 June 11, 2009: Act relating to the payment of state school aid in June 2009. 2009 Wisc. Act 23 December 22, 2009: Act relating to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, granting rule-making authority, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. 2009 Wisc. Act 100lowering the legal blood-alcohol limit for operating a vehicle from 0.1 to 0.08, among other changes to law. May 18, 2010: Act relating to financial assistance related to bioenergy feedstocks, biorefineries, and conversion to biomass energy; the definition of the term agricultural use for the purpose of determining the assessed value of a parcel of land; requiring a strategic bioenergy feedstock assessment; creation of a bioenergy council; the agricultural and forestry diversification programs; biofuels training assessment; a study of regulatory burdens relating to biofuel production facilities; marketing orders and agreements for bioenergy feedstocks; exempting personal renewable fuel production and use from the motor vehicle fuel tax, the petroleum inspection fee, and business tax registration requirements; an income and franchise tax credit for installing or retrofitting pumps that mix motor vehicle fuels from separate storage tanks; offering gasoline that is not blended with ethanol to motor fuel dealers; state renewable motor vehicle fuels sales goals; use of petroleum-based transportation fuels by state vehicles; use of alternative fuels in flex fuel vehicles owned by the state; use of public alternative fuel refueling facilities; duties of the Office of Energy Independence; granting rule-making authority; requiring the exercise of rule-making authority; making appropriations; and providing penalties. 2009 Wisc. Act 401
Party summary
Senate summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)Total Dem. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 17 14 31 2 Start of Reg. Session 18 15 33 0Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 14 19 33 0
Assembly summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalDem.Ind.Rep.Vacant End of previous Legislature 47 0 52 99 0 Start of Reg. Session 52 1 46 99 0 From May 12, 2010Democrat Gary Sherman (74th District) resigned to accept appointment to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. 51 98 1 From Jun. 21, 2010Democrat Bob Ziegelbauer (25th District) changed his party affiliation to Independent. 50 2 From Jul. 31, 2010Republican Mark Gundrum (84th District) resigned after his election as a Wisconsin circuit court judge. 45 97 2 From Sep. 20, 2010Democrat Pedro Colón (8th District) resigned to accept appointment as a Wisconsin circuit court judge. 49 96 3Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 38 1 57 96 3
Sessions Regular session: January 5, 2009May 26, 2010 May 2009 extraordinary session: May 12, 2009May 13, 2009 June 2009 extraordinary session: June 9, 2009June 11, 2009 June 2009 special session: June 24, 2009June 27, 2009 December 2009 extraordinary session: December 16, 2009 December 2009 special session: December 16, 2009March 4, 2010 December 2010 extraordinary session: December 15, 2010December 16, 2010
Leadership
Senate leadership President of the Senate: Fred Risser (D–Madison) President pro tempore: Pat Kreitlow (D–Chippewa Falls)
Senate majority leadership Majority Leader: Russ Decker (D–Weston) Dave Hansen (D–Green Bay) Assistant Majority Leader: Dave Hansen (D–Green Bay) Majority Caucus Chair: John W. Lehman (D–Racine) Majority Caucus Vice Chair: Kathleen Vinehout (D–Alma) Majority Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Jim Holperin (D–Conover)
Senate minority leadership Minority Leader: Scott L. Fitzgerald (R–Juneau) Assistant Minority Leader: Glenn Grothman (R–West Bend) Minority Caucus Chair: Joe Leibham (R–Sheboygan) Minority Caucus Vice Chair: Sheila Harsdorf (R–River Falls)
Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Michael J. Sheridan (D–Janesville) Speaker pro tempore: Tony Staskunas (D–West Allis)
Assembly majority leadership Assembly Majority Leader: Tom Nelson (D–Kaukauna) Assistant Majority Leader: Donna J. Seidel (D–Wausau) Assembly Caucus Chair: Peter W. Barca (D–Kenosha) Assembly Caucus Vice Chair: Barbara Toles (D–Milwaukee) Assembly Caucus Secretary: Ann Hraychuck (D–Balsam Lake) Assembly Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Marlin Schneider (D–Wisconsin Rapids)
Assembly minority leadership Assembly Minority Leader: Jeff Fitzgerald (R–Horicon) Assistant Minority Leader: Mark Gottlieb (R–Port Washington) Assembly Caucus Chair: Scott Suder (R–Abbotsford) Assembly Caucus Vice Chair: Joel Kleefisch (R–Oconomowoc) Assembly Caucus Secretary: Mary Williams (R–Medford) Assembly Caucus Sergeant-at-Arms: Gary Tauchen (R–Bonduel)
Members Members of the Senate Members of the Senate for the Ninety-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:
Dist. Senator Party Age(2009) Home Firstelected 01 Rep. Rockland, Brown County 1977 02 Rep. Green Bay, Brown County 1987 03 Dem. Milwaukee, Milwaukee County 2002 04 Dem. Milwaukee, Milwaukee County 2004 05 Dem. Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County 2006 06 Dem. Milwaukee, Milwaukee County 2003 07 Dem. South Milwaukee, Milwaukee County 2003 08 Rep. River Hills, Milwaukee County 1992 09 Rep. Sheboygan, Sheboygan County 2002 10 Rep. River Falls, Pierce County 2000 11 Rep. Elkhorn, Walworth County 2002 12 Dem. Conover, Shawano County 2008 13 Rep. Juneau, Dodge County 1994 14 Rep. Ripon, Fond du Lac County 2004 15 Dem. Beloit, Rock County 1998 16 Dem. Monona, Dane County 2004 17 Rep. Richland Center, Richland County 1991 18 Rep. Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County 2008 19 Rep. Neenah, Winnebago County 1982 20 Rep. West Bend, Washington County 2004 21 Dem. Racine, Racine County 2006 22 Dem. Pleasant Prairie, Kenosha County 1996 23 Dem. Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County 2006 24 Dem. Stevens Point, Portage County 2003 25 Dem. Poplar, Douglas County 1986 26 Dem. Madison, Dane County 1962 27 Dem. Middleton, Dane County 1998 28 Rep. New Berlin, Waukesha County 1998 29 Dem. Schofield, Marathon County 1990 30 Dem. Green Bay, Brown County 2000 31 Dem. Alma, Buffalo County 2006 32 Rep. La Crosse, La Crosse County 2004 33 Rep. Brookfield, Waukesha County 2001
Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Ninety-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature: