The Seventy-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session.

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 4, 1958. 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 6, 1956.

The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Gaylord Nelson, of Dane County, serving a two-year term, having won election in the 1958 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

Major events January 5, 1959: Inauguration of Gaylord Nelson as the 35th Governor of Wisconsin. February 16, 1959: Fidel Castro became premier of Cuba. April 25, 1959: The St. Lawrence Seaway opened to traffic, linking the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. August 21, 1959: Hawaii was admitted as the 50th U.S. state. April 5, 1960: Voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to allow the state to take on debt to pay for port improvements. May 6, 1960: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1960 into law. September 14, 1960: The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. November 8, 1960: 1960 United States general election: John F. Kennedy (D) elected President of the United States. Gaylord Nelson (D) re-elected Governor of Wisconsin. Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to set a county and municipal debt limit of five percent of taxable property.

Major legislation July 24, 1959: An Act ... relating to group health insurance and the group life insurance program for state employes, granting rule-making authority and making an appropriation, 1959 Act 211. Created group life and health insurance programs for state employees. July 31, 1959: An Act ... relating to the abolition of the department of budget and accounts, bureau of engineering, bureau of personnel, bureau of purchases, division of departmental research and the creation of a state department of administration, a board on government operations and making appropriations, 1959 Act 228. Created the Wisconsin Department of Administration. September 19, 1959: An Act ... relating to the abolition of the state planning division, division of industrial development, the creation of a department of resource development, and increasing the appropriation to the university of Wisconsin, 1959 Act 442. Created the Wisconsin Department of Resource Development. October 2, 1959: An Act ... relating to rights of employes of local units of government to form and join labor organizations, 1959 Act 509. Allowed Wisconsin municipal employees to unionize. 1959 Joint Resolution 15: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the state to take on debt to pay for port improvements. This amendment was ratified at the April 1960 election. 1959 Joint Resolution 32: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to set a county and municipal debt limit of five percent of taxable property. This amendment was ratified at the November 1960 election.

Party summary Senate summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 10 22 32 1 Start of Reg. Session 13 20 33 0 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 13 20 33 0

Assembly summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 33 66 99 1 Start of Reg. Session 55 45 100 0 From Apr. 23, 1960Democrat Robert M. Curley (Milwaukee County) resigned to accept appointment as a Wisconsin circuit court judge. 54 99 1 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 45 55 100 0

Sessions Regular session: January 14, 1959May 27, 1960

Leaders Senate leadership President of the Senate: Philleo Nash (D) President pro tempore: Frank E. Panzer (R–Oakfield) Majority leader: Robert S. Travis (R–Platteville) Minority leader: Henry Maier (D–Milwaukee)

Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: George Molinaro (D–Kenosha) Majority leader: Keith C. Hardie (D–Taylor) Minority leader: David Blanchard (R–Edgerton)

Members Members of the Senate Members of the Senate for the Seventy-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:

Dist. Counties Senator Residence Party 01 Door, Kewaunee, Kiel Rep. 02 Brown Green Bay Rep. 03 Milwaukee (South City) Milwaukee Dem. 04 Milwaukee (North County) Milwaukee Rep. 05 Milwaukee Milwaukee Dem. 06 Milwaukee Milwaukee Dem. 07 Milwaukee (South County Cudahy Dem. 08 Milwaukee West MilwaukeeRep. 09 Milwaukee Milwaukee Dem. 10 Buffalo, Dunn, Pepin, Pierce, New RichmondRep. 11 Milwaukee (Western City) MilwaukeeDem. 12 Iron, Lincoln, Oneida, Price, Taylor, MerrillRep. 13 Dodge OakfieldRep. 14 Outagamie Bear CreekRep. 15 Rock JanesvilleRep. 16 Dane (Excluding Madison) StoughtonDem. 17 Grant, Green, Iowa, PlattevilleRep. 18 , RosendaleRep. 19 Calumet NeenahRep. 20 Ozaukee Sheboygan FallsRep. 21 Racine RacineDem. 22 Kenosha Lake Geneva Rep. 23 Barron, Burnett, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, Rice LakeDem. 24 Clark, Portage, Vesper Rep. 25 Ashland, Bayfield, Merrill Dem. 26 Dane (Madison) Madison Dem. 27 Columbia, Crawford, Richland, Richland Center Rep. 28 Chippewa Eau Claire Dem. 29 Marathon Rothschild Dem. 30 Florence, Forest, Langlade, Marinette, Oconto Rep. 31 Adams, Juneau, Monroe, Marquette, Sparta Rep. 32 Jackson, La Crosse, La Crosse Rep. 33 Jefferson Hartland Rep.

Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Seventy-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:

SenateDist. County Dist. Representative Party Residence 31 Adams, Juneau, Rep. Hustler 25 Ashland Dem. Mellen 23 Barron Rep. Rice Lake 02 Brown 1 Rep. Green Bay 2 Rep. Green Bay 3 Dem. Green Bay 10 Buffalo, Pepin, Dem. Prescott 23 Burnett Dem. Luck 19 Calumet Rep. New Holstein 28 Chippewa Dem. Chippewa Falls 24 Clark Dem. Abbotsford 27 Columbia Rep. Portage Crawford Dem. Richland Center 26 Dane 1 Dem. Madison 2 Dem. Madison 3 Dem. Madison 16 4 Dem. Sun Prairie 5 Dem. Waunakee 13 Dodge 1 Rep. Mayville 2 Rep. Beaver Dam 01 Door Rep. Sturgeon Bay 25 Douglas 1 Dem. Superior 2 Dem. Superior 10 Dunn Dem. Menomonie 28 Eau Claire 1 Dem. Eau Claire 2 Dem. Eau Claire 30 Florence, Forest, Dem. Antigo 18 Fond du Lac 1 Rep. Fond du Lac 2 Rep. Ripon 17 Grant Rep. Lancaster Green Rep. Monticello 18 Green Lake Rep. Markesan 17 Iowa Rep. Benton 12 Iron, Oneida, Rep. Minocqua 32 Jackson Dem. Taylor 33 Jefferson Rep. Watertown 22 Kenosha 1 Dem. Kenosha 2 Rep. Kenosha 32 La Crosse 1 Rep. La Crosse 2 Dem. Holmen 12 Lincoln Rep. Merrill 01 Manitowoc 1 Dem. Manitowoc 2 Rep. Two Rivers 29 Marathon 1 Dem. Athens 2 Rep. Wausau 30 Marinette Rep. Marinette 04 Milwaukee 1 Dem. Milwaukee 09 2 Dem. Milwaukee 3 Dem. Milwaukee 11 4 Dem. Milwaukee 05 5 Rep. Milwaukee 09 6 Dem. Milwaukee 06 7 Dem. Milwaukee 11 8 Dem. Milwaukee 05 9 Dem. Milwaukee 06 10 Dem. Milwaukee 03 11 Dem. Milwaukee 12 Dem. Milwaukee 06 13 Dem. Milwaukee 03 14 Dem. Milwaukee 05 15 Dem. Milwaukee 11 16 Dem. Milwaukee 07 17 Dem. Milwaukee 04 18 Dem. Milwaukee 19 Rep. Bayside 08 20 Rep. Wauwatosa 21 Dem. Wauwatosa 22 Dem. West Allis 07 23 Dem. Milwaukee 24 Dem. South Milwaukee 31 Monroe Rep. Tomah 30 Oconto Rep. Lena 14 Outagamie 1 Rep. Appleton 2 Rep. Kaukauna 20 Ozaukee Rep. Port Washington 24 Portage Dem. Stevens Point 12 Price Dem. Phillips 21 Racine 1 Dem. Racine 2 Dem. Racine 3 Dem. Raymond 15 Rock 1 Rep. Janesville 2 Rep. Edgerton 3 Rep. Beloit 23 Rusk, Sawyer, Rep. Tony 27 Sauk Rep. Baraboo 29 Shawano Rep. Tigerton 20 Sheboygan 1 Dem. Sheboygan 2 Rep. Sheboygan 10 St. Croix Dem. New Richmond 16 Vernon Dem. Hillsboro 22 Walworth Rep. Delavan 13 Washington Rep. Jackson 33 Waukesha 1 Dem. Waukesha 2 Rep. Oconomowoc 14 Waupaca Rep. Clintonville 19 Winnebago 1 Rep. Oshkosh 2 Rep. Oshkosh 3 Rep. Menasha 24 Wood 1 Rep. Marshfield 2 Dem. Wisconsin Rapids

Committees Senate committees Senate Standing Committee on AgricultureJ. E. Leverich, chair Senate Standing Committee on ConservationC. Krueger, chair Senate Standing Committee on EducationW. W. Clark, chair Senate Standing Committee on Governmental and Veterans Affairs, chair Senate Standing Committee on HighwaysJ. Miller, chair Senate Standing Committee on Interstate CooperationF. E. Panzer, chair Senate Standing Committee on the JudiciaryA. Busby, chair Senate Standing Committee on Labor, Taxation, Insurance, and BankingW. Trinke, chair Senate Standing Committee on Public WelfareP. P. Carr, chair Senate Special Committee on CommitteesJ. Miller, chair Senate Special Committee on Contingent ExpendituresR. Bice, chair Senate Special Committee on Legislative ProcedureF. E. Panzer, chair

Assembly committees Assembly Standing Committee on AgricultureJ. T. Pritchard, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and ManufacturesL. L. Merz, chair Assembly Standing Committee on ConservationH. F. Pellant, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresJ. Kostuck, chair Assembly Standing Committee on EducationK. C. Hardie, chair Assembly Standing Committee on ElectionsS. R. Sobocinski, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed BillsG. Talsky, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled BillsE. W. Warren, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and FeesE. J. Ryczek, chair Assembly Standing Committee on HighwaysR. T. Huber, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and BankingG. Sokolowski, chair Assembly Standing Committee on the JudiciaryW. W. Ward, chair Assembly Standing Committee on LaborA. J. Flannigan, chair Assembly Standing Committee on MunicipalitiesN. Sussman, chair Assembly Standing Committee on PrintingB. A. Riehle, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Public WelfareI. N. Coggs, chair Assembly Standing Committee on RevisionD. Mogilka, chair Assembly Standing Committee on RulesK. C. Hardie, chair Assembly Standing Committee on State AffairsC. J. Schmidt, chair Assembly Standing Committee on TaxationR. A. Perala, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Third ReadingR. E. Naleid, chair Assembly Standing Committee on TransportationF. Christopherson, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Veterans and Military AffairsJ. A. Greco, chair

Joint committees Joint Standing Committee on FinanceW. Draheim (Sen.) & F. A. Risser (Asm.), co-chairs Joint Standing Committee on Revisions, Repeals, and Uniform LawsG. Lorge (Sen.) & T. J. Duffey (Asm.), co-chairs Joint Legislative CouncilG. Molinaro, chair

Employees Senate employees Chief Clerk: Lawrence R. Larsen Sergeant-at-Arms: Harold Damon

Assembly employees Chief Clerk: Norman C. Anderson Sergeant-at-Arms: Thomas H. Browne

Notes

References

External links 1959: Related Documents from Wisconsin Legislature