82nd Wisconsin Legislature

The Eighty-Second Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 6, 1975, to January 3, 1977, in regular session, and also convened in four special sessions.

This was the first legislative term since 1893, when the Democratic Party of Wisconsin held the Governor's office and majorities in both chambers of the Legislature.

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, 1974. 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, 1972.

The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Democrat Patrick Lucey, of Crawford County, serving the first two years of his second four-year term, having won re-election in the 1974 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

Major events

• January 1, 1975: Former Attorney General of the United States John N. Mitchell was convicted of perjury for his part in the Watergate scandal. Former White House chief of staff H. R. Haldeman and former White House domestic affairs advisor John Ehrlichman were convicted on perjury, conspiracy, and obstruction charges.
• January 6, 1975: Second inauguration of Patrick Lucey as Governor of Wisconsin.
• April 1, 1975: 1975 Wisconsin Spring election: Voters ratified two amendments to the state constitution: Allowing the state to take on debt to make veterans' housing loans. Repealing the section of the constitution which removed voting rights from any person found to have engaged in or facilitated a duel. Voters also rejected two other amendments to the state constitution: Would have allowed municipalities to bypass normal debt limits to pay for revenue-generating infrastructure. Would have allowed the state to take on debt to fund transportation infrastructure (beyond the existing allowances for highways and port facilities). This referendum was later ruled invalid and ordered to be rerun.
• April 30, 1975: Saigon was captured by forces of the People's Army of Vietnam, effectively ending the Vietnam War.
• November 15, 1975: The 1st G6 summit was held at Rambouillet, France.
• April 6, 1976: 1976 Wisconsin Spring election: Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter won the 1976 Wisconsin Democratic presidential primary. Wisconsin voters rejected an amendment to the state constitution which would have raised the limit on municipal indebtedness.
• May 11, 1976: U.S. President Gerald Ford signed the Federal Election Campaign Act into law.
• May 23, 1976: Wisconsin Supreme Court chief justice Horace W. Wilkie died. Justice Bruce F. Beilfuss became the 22nd chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court due to the rule of seniority.
• September 7, 1976: Wisconsin Governor Patrick Lucey appointed Shirley Abrahamson to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to succeed Horace W. Wilkie. She was the first female justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
• November 2, 1976: 1976 United States general election: Jimmy Carter (D) elected President of the United States. William Proxmire (D) re-elected United States senator from Wisconsin. Wisconsin voters again rejected the amendment to the state constitution which would have allowed state to take on debt to fund transportation infrastructure.

Major legislation

• July 30, 1975: An Act ... relating to state finances and appropriations constituting the executive budget bill of the' 1975 legislature, and making appropriations, . It was vetoed in part, but the vetoes were overridden. Established the office of secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services, making it a gubernatorial appointee.
• 1975 Joint Resolution 13: First legislative passage of a proposed a series of amendments to the state constitution to overhaul the state judiciary, establishing a court of appeals, collapsing the county courts into the circuit courts, and establishing the administrative powers of the supreme court over the subordinate state courts. These amendments were eventually ratified at the April 1977 election.

Party summary

Senate summary

Assembly summary

Sessions

• Regular session: January 6, 1975 – January 3, 1977
• December 1975 special session: December 9, 1975 – December 11, 1975
• May 1976 special session: May 18, 1976
• June 1976 special session: June 15, 1976 – June 17, 1976
• September 1976 special session: September 8, 1976

Leaders

Senate leadership

• President of the Senate: Martin J. Schreiber (D)
• President pro tempore: Fred Risser (D–Madison)
• Majority leader: Wayne F. Whittow (D–Milwaukee) (res. Apr. 30, 1976) William A. Bablitch (D–Stevens Point) (from May 17, 1976)
• Minority leader: Clifford Krueger (R–Merrill)

Assembly leadership

• Speaker of the Assembly: Norman C. Anderson (D–Madison)
• Speaker pro tempore: Edward Jackamonis (D–Waukesha)
• Majority leader: Terry A. Willkom (D–Chippewa Falls)
• Minority leader: John C. Shabaz (R–New Berlin)

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Eighty-Second Wisconsin Legislature:

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Eighty-Second Wisconsin Legislature:

Employees

Senate employees

• Chief Clerk: Glenn E. Bultman
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Robert M. Thompson

Assembly employees

• Chief Clerk: Everett E. Bolle
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Raymond J. Tobiasz

Notes

External links

• from Wisconsin Legislature