98th Wisconsin Legislature
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.[1][2]
105th Wisconsin Legislature | |||||||||||
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Overview | |||||||||||
Legislative body | Wisconsin Legislature | ||||||||||
Meeting place | Wisconsin State Capitol | ||||||||||
Term | January 1, 2007 – January 5, 2009 | ||||||||||
Election | November 7, 2006 | ||||||||||
Senate | |||||||||||
Members | 33 | ||||||||||
Senate President | Fred Risser (D) | ||||||||||
President pro tempore | Tim Carpenter (D) | ||||||||||
Party control | Democratic | ||||||||||
Assembly | |||||||||||
Members | 99 | ||||||||||
Assembly Speaker | Michael Huebsch (R) | ||||||||||
Speaker pro tempore | Mark Gottlieb (R) | ||||||||||
Party control | Republican | ||||||||||
Sessions | |||||||||||
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Special sessions | |||||||||||
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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.
Major events
- January 9, 2007: Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone at a Macworld keynote in San Francisco.
- April 1, 2008: 2008 Wisconsin Spring election:
- Michael Gableman was elected 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: In the midst of the 2007–2008 financial crisis, Lehman Brothers filed for bankrupcy—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 (2007 Act 1). 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 | |||
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Dem. | Rep. | Vacant | ||
End of previous Legislature | 14 | 19 | 33 | 0 |
Start of 1st Session | 18 | 15 | 33 | 0 |
Final voting share | 54.55% | 45.45% | ||
Beginning of the next Legislature | 18 | 15 | 33 | 0 |
Assembly summary
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) |
Total | |||||
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Dem. | Ind. | Rep. | Vacant | |||
End of previous Legislature | 39 | 0 | 60 | 99 | 0 | |
Start of 1st Session | 47 | 0 | 52 | 99 | 0 | |
Final voting share | 47.47% | 52.53% | ||||
Beginning of the next Legislature | 52 | 1 | 46 | 99 | 0 |
Sessions
- Regular session: January 3, 2007 – January 5, 2009
- January 2007 special session: January 11, 2007 – February 1, 2007
- October 2007 special session: October 15, 2007 – October 23, 2007
- December 2007 special session: December 11, 2007 – May 14, 2008
- March 2008 special session: March 12, 2008 – May 14, 2008
- April 2008 special session: April 17, 2008 – May 15, 2008
Officers
Senate
President of the Senate: Sen. Fred Risser
President pro tempore: Sen. Tim Carpenter
Chief Clerk: Hon. Robert J. Marchant
Sergeant at arms: Hon. Edward Blazel
Democratic leadership
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Republican leadership
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Assembly
Speaker of the Assembly: Rep. Michael Huebsch
Speaker pro tempore: Rep. Mark Gottlieb
Chief clerk: Hon. Patrick E. Fuller
Sergeant at arms: Hon. Richard A. Skindrud
Republican leadership
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Democratic leadership
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Members
Senate
Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature (33):
Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Ninety-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature (99):
References
- "2007 Senate Joint Resolution 1". Wisconsin State Legislature.
- Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn, eds. (2021). "Historical Lists" (PDF). State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2021–2022 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 467, 471, 477, 479–480. ISBN 978-1-7333817-1-0. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- 2007 Wisconsin Blue Book p. 260
- "WI Federal & State Legislative Roster" (PDF). Wisconsin Head Start Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2018-09-27.