The Sixty-First Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session, and reconvened in a special session from to .
This was the first legislative term after the redistricting of the Senate and Assembly according to an act of the previous session—although there are barely any changes from the previous map. This was also the first legislative term since 1893–1894 in which the Democratic Party of Wisconsin held a majority of one of the chambers. This session also coincided with the formal schism of the Wisconsin Progressive Party from the Republican Party of Wisconsin. It was the beginning of a major political realignment in the state.
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 8, 1932. 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 4, 1930.
The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Albert G. Schmedeman, of Dane County, serving a two-year term, having won election in the 1932 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.
Major events January 2, 1933: Inauguration of Albert G. Schmedeman as the 28th Governor of Wisconsin. The first Democratic governor of Wisconsin in 38 years. January 23, 1933: The Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution, moving the start of the congressional terms from March to January and moving the presidentual inauguration to January 20, was ratified by the requisite number of states to come into force. January 30, 1933: Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany by German president February 15, 1933: Giuseppe Zangara attempted to assassinate U.S. president-elect in Miami, but missed and killed Chicago mayor Anton Cermak. February 20, 1933: The United States Congress passed the Blaine Act, named for Wisconsin's outgoing United States senator John J. Blaine, referring to the states the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution to repeal the Eighteenth Amendment (Prohibition). February 27, 1933: The German Reichstag building burned. March 4, 1933: Inauguration of as the 32nd President of the United States. March 27, 1933: The Empire of Japan announced it would withdraw from the League of Nations. April 5, 1933: U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps by executive order, utilizing the recently passed Emergency Conservation Work Act. May 27, 1933: U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law the Securities Act of 1933, establishing critical new regulation of securities trading. June 16, 1933: U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933. June 21, 1933: The Nazi government in Germany outlawed all other political parties. October 10, 1933: A bomb destroyed United Air Lines Trip 23 in air near Chesterton, Indiana. It was the first proven case of sabotage in civil aviation, no perpetrator was ever identified. October 14, 1933: Nazi Germany announced it would withdraw from the League of Nations. October 17, 1933: Albert Einstein arrived in the United States as a refugee from Nazi Germany. November 16, 1933: The United States and the Soviet Union established formal diplomatic relations. December 5, 1933: The Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution, repealing the language allowing prohibition of alcohol, was ratified by the requisite number of states to come into force. January 30, 1934: U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law the Gold Reserve Act, nationalizing the gold supply in order to stabilize currency value. April 15, 1934: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Walter C. Owen died in office. May 19, 1934: At a convention in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Progressive Party was established. August 2, 1934: German president Paul von Hindenburg died of lung cancer. Due to a law passed the previous day, the office of president was abolished and its powers passed to the chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler, under the new title Führer und Reichskanzler. November 6, 1934: 1934 United States general election: Philip La Follette (P) elected Governor of Wisconsin. Robert M. La Follette Jr. (P) re-elected United States senator from Wisconsin. Wisconsin voters ratified an amendment to the state constitution making technical changes to the section on suffrage, eliminating references to gender. November 15, 1934: Wisconsin governor Albert G. Schmedeman appointed Theodore G. Lewis to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice Walter C. Owen. November 20, 1934: Retired U.S. Marine Corps general Smedley Butler revealed to Congress a conspiracy of several wealthy businessmen to initiate a fascist coup in the United States. December 5, 1934: Recently appointed Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Theodore G. Lewis died in office. December 29, 1934: Japan renounced the Washington Naval Treaty and London Naval Treaty, which had set limits on naval warships. December 31, 1934: Wisconsin governor Albert G. Schmedeman appointed Joseph Martin to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice Theodore G. Lewis.
Major legislation January 28, 1933: Joint Resolution ratifying an amendment to the Constitution of the United States fixing the commencement of the terms of President and Vice President and Members of Congress and fixing the time of the assembling of Congress, 1933 Joint Resolution 5. Wisconsin's ratification of the Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution. May 4, 1933: Joint Resolution to amend section 11 of article XIII of the constitution relating to free passes, 1933 Joint Resolution 63. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to create exceptions to the prohibition on free passes for candidates where they are earning less than $300 of income and would otherwise receive such passes from their employer. This amendment was eventually ratified by voters at the November 1936 election. June 8, 1933: Joint Resolution to amend section 1 of Article III of the constitution, relating to suffrage, to eliminate obsolete provisions and to submit this amendment to a vote of the people at the general election in November 1934, 1933 Joint Resolution 76. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to make technical fixes to the section on suffrage, eliminating references to gender. This amendment was ratified by voters at the November 1934 election.
Party summary Senate summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Soc. Prog. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 1 2 0 29 32 1 Start of Reg. Session 9 1 0 23 33 0 From July 28, 1934Republican Merritt F. White (19th District) died. 22 32 1 From Nov. 14, 1934Republican Fred W. Zantow (27th District) died. 21 31 2 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 14 0 13 6 33 0
Assembly summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Soc. Prog. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 3 9 0 84 96 4 Start of Reg. Session 59 3 0 38 100 0 From Jan. 28, 1934Democrat Walter G. Caldwell (Waukesha County) died. 58 99 1 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 35 3 45 17 100 0
Sessions Regular session: January 11, 1933July 25, 1933 December 1933 special session: December 11, 1933February 3, 1934
Leaders Senate leadership President of the Senate: Thomas J. O'Malley (D) President pro tempore: Orland S. Loomis (R–Mauston)
Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Cornelius T. Young (D–Milwaukee)
Members Members of the Senate Members of the Senate for the Sixty-First Wisconsin Legislature:
Dist. Counties Senator Residence Party 01 Door, Kewaunee, Denmark Rep. 02 Brown Green Bay Dem. 03 Milwaukee (South City) Milwaukee Soc. 04 Milwaukee (Northeast County Milwaukee Rep. 05 Milwaukee Milwaukee Rep. 06 Milwaukee Milwaukee Dem. 07 Milwaukee (Southeast County Milwaukee Rep. 08 Milwaukee West Allis Dem. 09 Milwaukee Milwaukee Rep. 10 Buffalo, Pepin, Pierce, River FallsRep. 11 Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, MapleRep. 12 Ashland, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, MellenRep. 13 Dodge JuneauDem. 14 Outagamie ShioctonRep. 15 Rock MiltonDem. 16 Crawford, Grant, Prairie du ChienDem. 17 Green, Iowa, South WayneRep. 18 , Fond du LacDem. 19 Calumet WinneconneRep. 20 Ozaukee Port WashingtonDem. 21 Racine Racine Rep. 22 Kenosha Kenosha Rep. 23 Portage Iola Prog.Rep. 24 Clark, Taylor, Neillsville Rep. 25 Lincoln Wausau Rep. 26 Dane Madison Rep. 27 Columbia, Richland, Baraboo Rep. 28 Chippewa Eau Claire Prog.Rep. 29 Barron, Dunn, Barron Rep. 30 Florence, Forest, Langlade, Marinette, Antigo Dem. 31 Adams, Juneau, Monroe, Mauston Rep. 32 Jackson, La Crosse, West Salem Rep. 33 Jefferson Rep.
Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Sixty-First Wisconsin Legislature:
SenateDist. County Dist. Representative Party Residence 31 Adams Rep. Montello 12 Ashland Prog.Rep. Ashland 29 Barron Dem. Rice Lake 11 Bayfield Prog.Rep. Washburn 02 Brown 1 Dem. Green Bay 2 Dem. De Pere 10 Buffalo Prog.Rep. Alma 11 Burnett Dem. Spooner 19 Calumet Dem. Chilton 28 Chippewa Rep. Anson 24 Clark Dem. Colby 27 Columbia Rep. Cambria 16 Crawford Dem. Soldiers Grove 26 Dane 1 Rep. Madison 2 Rep. Deerfield 3 Rep. Mount Horeb 13 Dodge 1 Dem. Woodland 2 Dem. Beaver Dam 01 Door Prog.Rep. Sawyer 11 Douglas 1 Dem. Superior 2 Rep. Superior 29 Dunn Dem. Menomonie 28 Eau Claire Rep. Eau Claire 30 Florence, Forest, Dem. Rhinelander 18 Fond du Lac 1 Dem. Fond du Lac 2 Dem. Eden 16 Grant 1 Rep. Cuba City 2 Rep. Lancaster 17 Green Prog.Rep. New Glarus 18 Green Lake Dem. Markesan 17 Iowa Rep. Mineral Point 12 Iron Prog.Rep. Pence 32 Jackson Prog.Rep. Hixton 33 Jefferson Dem. Fort Atkinson 31 Juneau Rep. Hustler 22 Kenosha 1 Dem. Kenosha 2 Dem. Pleasant Prairie 01 Kewaunee Dem. Algoma 32 La Crosse 1 Rep. La Crosse 2 Dem. West Salem 17 Lafayette Rep. Platteville 30 Langlade Dem. Antigo 25 Lincoln Dem. Merrill 01 Manitowoc 1 Dem. Manitowoc 2 Dem. Mishicot 25 Marathon 1 Dem. Edgar 2 Dem. Wausau 30 Marinette Rep. Marinette 09 Milwaukee 1 Dem. Milwaukee 06 2 Dem. Milwaukee 08 3 Prog.Dem. Milwaukee 09 4 Dem. Milwaukee 03 5 Dem. Milwaukee 09 6 Dem. Milwaukee 06 7 Soc. Milwaukee 08 8 Dem. Milwaukee 05 9 Dem. Milwaukee 07 10 Dem. South Milwaukee 03 11 Dem. Milwaukee 07 12 Dem. Milwaukee 04 13 Dem. Milwaukee 14 Rep. Milwaukee 05 15 Dem. Milwaukee 06 16 Soc. Milwaukee 07 17 Dem. Milwaukee 06 18 Soc. Milwaukee 05 19 Dem. West Milwaukee 08 20 Rep. Wauwatosa 31 Monroe Rep. Greenfield 02 Oconto Dem. Oconto Falls 14 Outagamie 1 Rep. Appleton 2 Dem. Kaukauna 20 Ozaukee Dem. Thiensville 10 Pierce Rep. Ellsworth 29 Polk Rep. Luck 23 Portage Prog.Rep. Stevens Point 12 Price Dem. Phillips 21 Racine 1 Dem. Racine 2 Dem. Racine 3 Dem. Burlington 27 Richland Dem. Richland Center 15 Rock 1 Rep. Edgerton 2 Rep. Beloit 12 Rusk Rep. Ladysmith 27 Sauk Dem. Spring Green 14 Shawano Dem. Shawano 20 Sheboygan 1 Dem. Sheboygan 2 Dem. Plymouth 10 St. Croix Prog.Rep. Hudson 24 Taylor Dem. Medford 32 Trempealeau Rep. Galesville 16 Vernon Prog.Rep. Westby 22 Walworth Rep. Delavan 13 Washington Dem. Hartford 33 Waukesha 1 Dem. Waukesha 2 Rep. Pewaukee 23 Waupaca Dem. Clintonville 19 Winnebago 1 Dem. Oshkosh 2 Dem. Neenah 24 Wood Rep. Wisconsin Rapids
Committees Senate committees Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and LaborC. Shearer, chair Senate Standing Committee on CommitteesW. H. Edwards, chair Senate Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresB. Gettelman, chair Senate Standing Committee on Corporations and TaxationO. Morris, chair Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public WelfareW. H. Hunt, chair Senate Standing Committee on HighwaysJ. E. Cashman, chair