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.

The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Jim Doyle, of Dane County, serving the first two years of his second four-year term, having won re-election in the 2006 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

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 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 state constitution putting some limits on the Governor's line-item veto powers. August 28, 2008: Barack Obama 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: During the 2008 financial crisis, 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 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

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 14 19 33 0 Start of Reg. Session 18 15 33 0 From Jun. 4, 2008Democrat Roger Breske (12th District) resigned to accept appointment as state commissioner of railroads. 17 32 1 From Jul. 4, 2008Republican Carol Roessler (18th District) resigned. 14 31 2 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 18 15 33 0

Assembly summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Ind. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 39 0 60 99 0 Start of Reg. Session 47 0 52 99 0 From Jul. 8, 2008Republican Jeffrey Wood (67th District) changed his party affiliation to Independent. 1 51 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 52 1 46 99 0

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) President pro tempore: Tim Carpenter (D–Milwaukee)

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

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

Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Michael Huebsch (R–West Salem) Speaker pro tempore: Mark Gottlieb (R–Port Washington)

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

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

Members

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

Dist. Senator Party Age(2007) Home Firstelected 01 Rep. De Pere, 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. Eland, Shawano County 1990 --Vacant from Jun. 4, 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. Oshkosh, Winnebago County 1987 --Vacant from Jul. 4, 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-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:

SenateDistrictAssemblyDistrictRepresentativePartyAge(2007)HomeFirstElected 01 01 Rep. Sister Bay 2000 02 Rep. Bellevue 1994 03 Rep. Forest Junction 1986 02 04 Rep. Green Bay 1998 05 Dem. Kaukauna 2004 06 Rep. Bonduel 2006 03 07 Dem. Milwaukee 1983 08 Dem. Milwaukee 1998 09 Dem. Milwaukee 2002 04 10 Dem. Milwaukee 1980 11 Dem. Milwaukee 2004 12 Dem. Milwaukee 1960 05 13 Dem. Milwaukee 1990 14 Rep. Wauwatosa 2002 15 Dem. West Allis 1996 06 16 Dem. Milwaukee 1992 17 Dem. Milwaukee 2004 18 Dem. Milwaukee 2004 07 19 Dem. Milwaukee 1998 20 Dem. Milwaukee 1998 21 Rep. South Milwaukee 2003 08 22 Dem. Milwaukee 1994 23 Rep. Mequon 2006 24 Rep. Menomonee Falls 1996 09 25 Dem. Manitowoc 1992 26 Dem. Sheboygan 2002 27 Rep. Elkhart Lake 1998 10 28 Dem. Balsam Lake 2006 29 Rep. Baldwin 2006 30 Rep. Hudson 1998 11 31 Rep. La Grange 1990 32 Rep. Williams Bay 2002 33 Rep. Pewaukee 2006 12 34 Rep. Eagle River 2000 35 Rep. Merrill 2000 36 Rep. Crivitz 2004 13 37 Dem. Fort Atkinson 2004 38 Rep. Oconomowoc 2004 39 Rep. Horicon 2000 14 40 Rep. Waupaca 2006 41 Rep. Markesan 2004 42 Rep. Oxford 2001 15 43 Dem. Whitewater 2006 44 Dem. Janesville 2004 45 Dem. Beloit 2004 16 46 Dem. Sun Prairie 2004 47 Rep. Cambria 1990 48 Dem. Madison 2004 17 49 Dem. Fennimore 2006 50 Rep. Reedsburg 1991 51 Dem. Dodgeville 2006 18 52 Rep. Fond du Lac 1998 53 Rep. Oshkosh 1992 54 Dem. Oshkosh 2006 19 55 Rep. Neenah 1990 56 Rep. Appleton 2006 57 Rep. Appleton 1996 20 58 Rep. West Bend 2004 59 Rep. Cascade 2002 60 Rep. Port Washington 2002 21 61 Dem. Racine 1990 62 Dem. Racine 2006 63 Rep. Caledonia 2004 22 64 Dem. Kenosha 1993 65 Dem. Pleasant Prairie 1996 66 Rep. Randall 2000 23 67 Rep. Chippewa Falls 2002 68 Rep. Eau Claire 2004 69 Rep. Abbotsford 1998 24 70 Dem. Milladore 2002 71 Dem. Stevens Point 2003 72 Dem. Wisconsin Rapids 1970 25 73 Dem. Superior 1986 74 Dem. Port Wing 1998 75 Dem. Rice Lake 1984 26 76 Dem. Madison 1998 77 Dem. Madison 1984 78 Dem. Madison 1998 27 79 Dem. Verona 2002 80 Rep. Oregon 2004 81 Dem. Waunakee 1978 28 82 Rep. Greendale 1978 83 Rep. Waterford 1994 84 Rep. New Berlin 1998 29 85 Dem. Wausau 2004 86 Rep. Marathon 1998 87 Rep. Medford 2002 30 88 Dem. Green Bay 2006 89 Rep. Marinette 2006 90 Rep. Green Bay 2002 31 91 Dem. Whitehall 1982 92 Rep. Black River Falls 1984 93 Dem. Eau Claire 2006 32 94 Rep. West Salem 1994 95 Dem. La Crosse 2000 96 Rep. Westby 2004 33 97 Rep. Waukesha 2006 98 Rep. Pewaukee 2006 99 Rep. Hartford 2004

Notes

References

External links 2007–2008 Session from Wisconsin Legislature