The Sixty-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session, and reconvened in a special session in July 1948.

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 5, 1946. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 7, 1944.

The governor of Wisconsin at the start of this legislative term was Republican Walter Samuel Goodland, of Racine County, serving the first months of his third two-year term, having won re-election in the 1946 Wisconsin gubernatorial election. Goodland died of a heart attack on March 12, 1947. At that time, the lieutenant governor, Republican Oscar Rennebohm, of Dane County, then ascended to become governor for the remainder of this legislative term.

Major events

January 6, 1947: Third inauguration of Walter Samuel Goodland as Governor of Wisconsin. February 20, 1947: The U.S. Army Hermes program launched the Blossom I rocket into space, carrying plants and fruit flies. These were first the living things launched into space by humans. March 12, 1947: U.S. President Harry S. Truman announced the Truman Doctrine to Congress, stating that it would be U.S. policy to defend democracies against authoritarian threats. Wisconsin governor Walter Samuel Goodland died in office. He was immediately succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Oscar Rennebohm as the 32nd governor of Wisconsin. April 1, 1947: Judge Henry P. Hughes was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, defeating incumbent justice James Ward Rector. April 16, 1947: The first use of the term Cold War to describe the postwar tensions between the U.S. and Soviet Union. May 22, 1947: U.S. President Harry Truman signed an act of Congress implementing his Truman doctrine and providing military and economic aide to Turkey and Greece. June 23, 1947: The U.S. Congress overrode President Harry Truman's veto of the Taft–Hartley Act, restricting the powers of labor unions. July 26, 1947: U.S. President Harry Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, creating the United States Department of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the United States National Security Council, and the Central Intelligence Agency. October 5, 1947: U.S. President Harry Truman delivered the first televised presidential address. October 14, 1947: U.S. Air Force pilot Chuck Yeager was the first man to travel faster than the speed of sound, piloting the Bell X-1 rocket plane. October 30, 1947: The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was signed by 23 nations in Geneva, Switzerland. November 24, 1947: The U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve citations of Contempt of Congress against the "Hollywood Ten" for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. November 29, 1947: The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine was approved by the United Nations General Assembly. January 30, 1948: Indian anti-colonial peace activist Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in New Delhi. March 8, 1948: In the case McCollum v. Board of Education, the United States Supreme Court ruled that religious instruction in public schools violated the U.S. Constitution. April 3, 1948: U.S. President Harry Truman signed the Marshall Plan (the European Recovery Program) into law. April 8, 1948: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Chester A. Fowler died in office. June 1, 1948: Wisconsin Governor Oscar Rennebohm appointed John E. Martin to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to succeed the deceased justice Chester A. Fowler. June 24, 1948: The Soviet Union implemented a blockade of West Berlin. June 26, 1948: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Elmer E. Barlow died in office. July 26, 1948: U.S. President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, ending racial segregation in the United States Armed Forces November 2, 1948: 1948 United States general election: Harry S. Truman (D) elected President of the United States. Oscar Rennebohm elected Governor of Wisconsin. Wisconsin voters rejected an amendment to the state constitution to repeal the section on municipal eminent domain. November 12, 1948: Wisconsin Governor Oscar Rennebohm appointed Grover L. Broadfoot to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to succeed the deceased justice Elmer E. Barlow. December 9, 1948: The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. December 10, 1948: The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Major legislation June 26, 1947: An Act ... relating to records of state officers and making an appropriation, 1947 Act 316. Created the Committee on Public Records within the Wisconsin Historical Society. July 16, 1947: An Act ... providing for a commissioner of banks, a commissioner of saving and loan associations, a supervisor of credit unions, and a credit union review board, abolishing the banking commission, transferring files and personnel, making an appropriation, and providing penalties, 1947 Act 411. Reorganized the Wisconsin Department of Banking and related agencies. 1947 Joint Resolution 48: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to repeal the section on municipal eminent domain. This amendment was rejected by voters at the November 1948 election.

Party summary Senate summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Prog. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 6 5 21 32 1 Start of Reg. Session 5 1 27 33 0 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 4 0 27 31 2

Assembly summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Prog. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 19 5 70 95 5 Start of Reg. Session 12 0 88 100 0 From Oct. 2, 1947Republican Ernest L. Riebau (Milwaukee County) died. 87 99 1 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 26 0 74 100 0

Sessions Regular session: January 8, 1947September 11, 1947 July 1948 special session: July 19, 1948July 20, 1948

Leaders

Senate leadership President of the Senate: Oscar Rennebohm (R) President pro tempore: Frank E. Panzer (R–Oakfield) Majority leader: Warren P. Knowles (R–New Richmond) Minority leader: Robert Emmet Tehan (D–Milwaukee)

Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Donald C. McDowell (R–Soldiers Grove) Majority leader: Vernon W. Thomson (R–Richland Center) Minority leader: Leland McParland (D–Milwaukee)

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

Dist. Counties Senator Residence Party 01 Door, Kewaunee, Two Rivers Rep. 02 Brown Green Bay Dem. 03 Milwaukee (South City) Milwaukee Dem. 04 Milwaukee (Northeast County Milwaukee Rep. 05 Milwaukee Milwaukee Rep. 06 Milwaukee Milwaukee Dem. 07 Milwaukee (Southeast County Milwaukee Dem. 08 Milwaukee West MilwaukeeRep. 09 Milwaukee Milwaukee Dem. 10 Buffalo, Pepin, Pierce, New RichmondRep. 11 Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, SuperiorRep. 12 Ashland, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, GliddenRep. 13 Dodge OakfieldRep. 14 Outagamie AppletonRep. 15 Rock BeloitRep. 16 Crawford, Grant, BloomingtonRep. 17 Green, Iowa, South WayneRep. 18 , Fond du LacRep. 19 Calumet OshkoshRep. 20 Ozaukee SheboyganRep. 21 Racine RacineRep. 22 Kenosha Kenosha Rep. 23 Portage Stevens Point Rep. 24 Clark, Taylor, Marshfield Rep. 25 Lincoln Merrill Rep. 26 Dane Madison Prog. 27 Columbia, Richland, Richland Center Rep. 28 Chippewa Stanley Rep. 29 Barron, Dunn, Luck Rep. 30 Florence, Forest, Langlade, Marinette, Amberg Rep. 31 Adams, Juneau, Monroe, Sparta Rep. 32 Jackson, La Crosse, La Crosse Rep. 33 Jefferson Rep.

Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Sixty-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:

SenateDist. County Dist. Representative Party Residence 31 Adams Rep. Adams 12 Ashland Rep. Mellen 29 Barron Rep. Cameron 11 Bayfield Rep. Mason 02 Brown 1 Dem. Green Bay 2 Rep. Denmark 10 Buffalo Rep. Mondovi 11 Burnett Rep. Spooner 19 Calumet Rep. Brillion 28 Chippewa Rep. Chippewa Falls 24 Clark Rep. Owen 27 Columbia Rep. Lodi 16 Crawford Rep. Soldiers Grove 26 Dane 1 Rep. Madison 2 Rep. Blooming Grove 3 Rep. Verona 13 Dodge 1 Rep. Mayville 2 Rep. Beaver Dam 01 Door Rep. Sturgeon Bay 11 Douglas 1 Rep. Superior 2 Rep. Superior 29 Dunn Rep. Elk Mound 28 Eau Claire Rep. Eau Claire 30 Florence, Forest, Rep. Minocqua 18 Fond du Lac 1 Rep. Fond du Lac 2 Rep. Campbellsport 16 Grant 1 Rep. Platteville 2 Rep. Lancaster 17 Green Rep. Monroe 18 Green Lake Rep. Wild Rose 17 Iowa Rep. Arena 12 Iron Rep. Hurley 32 Jackson Rep. Black River Falls 33 Jefferson Rep. Lake Mills 31 Juneau Rep. Hustler 22 Kenosha 1 Rep. Kenosha 2 Dem. Kenosha 01 Kewaunee Rep. Luxemburg 32 La Crosse 1 Rep. La Crosse 2 Rep. Onalaska 17 Lafayette Rep. South Wayne 30 Langlade Rep. Antigo 25 Lincoln Rep. Merrill 01 Manitowoc 1 Rep. Manitowoc 2 Rep. Two Rivers 25 Marathon 1 Rep. Hamburg 2 Rep. Wausau 30 Marinette Rep. Marinette 09 Milwaukee 1 Rep. Milwaukee 06 2 Dem. Milwaukee 08 3 Rep. West Allis 09 4 Dem. Milwaukee 03 5 Dem. Milwaukee 09 6 Dem. Milwaukee 06 7 Rep. Milwaukee 08 8 Rep. Milwaukee 05 9 Rep. Milwaukee 07 10 Dem. Cudahy 03 11 Dem. Milwaukee 07 12 Dem. Milwaukee 04 13 Dem. Milwaukee 14 Rep. Milwaukee 05 15 Rep. Milwaukee 06 16 Rep. Milwaukee 07 17 Rep. Milwaukee 06 18 Rep. Milwaukee 05 19 Rep. Milwaukee 08 20 Rep. Wauwatosa 31 Monroe Rep. Sparta 02 Oconto Rep. Oconto 14 Outagamie 1 Rep. Appleton 2 Rep. Kaukauna 20 Ozaukee Rep. Grafton 10 Pierce Rep. Spring Valley 29 Polk Rep. Milltown 23 Portage Dem. Stevens Point 12 Price Rep. Fifield 21 Racine 1 Rep. Racine 2 Rep. Racine 3 Rep. Union Grove 27 Richland Rep. Richland Center 15 Rock 1 Rep. Edgerton 2 Rep. Beloit 12 Rusk Rep. Bruce 27 Sauk Rep. Prairie du Sac 14 Shawano Rep. Gresham 20 Sheboygan 1 Dem. Sheboygan 2 Rep. Waldo 10 St. Croix Rep. Roberts 24 Taylor Rep. Gilman 32 Trempealeau Rep. Galesville 16 Vernon Rep. Westby 22 Walworth Rep. Delavan 13 Washington Rep. West Bend 33 Waukesha 1 Rep. Waukesha 2 Rep. Hartland 23 Waupaca Rep. Clintonville 19 Winnebago 1 Rep. Oshkosh 2 Rep. Menasha 24 Wood Rep. Vesper

Committees Senate committees Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and ConservationM. Olson, chair Senate Standing Committee on CommitteesJ. Miller, chair Senate Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresE. F. Hilker, chair Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public WelfareR. P. Robinson, chair Senate Standing Committee on HighwaysJ. Miller, chair Senate Standing Committee on the JudiciaryG. W. Buchen, chair Senate Standing Committee on Labor and ManagementL. J. Fellenz, chair Senate Standing Committee on Legislative ProcedureF. E. Panzer, chair Senate Standing Committee on State and Local GovernmentR. Schlabach, chair Senate Standing Committee on Veterans AffairsF. B. Porter, chair

Assembly committees Assembly Standing Committee on AgricultureO. R. Rice, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and ManufacturingC. R. Barnard, chair Assembly Standing Committee on ConservationJ. E. Youngs, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresJ. M. Mleziva, chair Assembly Standing Committee on EducationW. W. Clark, chair Assembly Standing Committee on ElectionsC. E. Collar, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed BillsC. Ebert, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled BillsE. L. Rundell, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and FeesW. S. Fisher, chair Assembly Standing Committee on HighwaysH. A. Harper, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and BankingB. M. Engebretson, chair Assembly Standing Committee on the JudiciaryV. W. Thomson, chair Assembly Standing Committee on LaborE. L. Genzmer, chair Assembly Standing Committee on MunicipalitiesP. A. Luedtke, chair