88th Wisconsin Legislature explained

The Eighty-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session, and also convened in three special sessions and two extraordinary sessions.^[1]

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, 1986. 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, 1984.^[1]

Major events

• January 5, 1987: Inauguration of Tommy Thompson as the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin.
• February 27, 1987: The Tower Commission report was published, admonishing U.S. President Ronald Reagan for lax oversight of his National Security Council in the Iran–Contra affair.
• April 7, 1987: 1987 Wisconsin Spring election:
  • Wisconsin voters ratified two amendments to the state constitution:
    • Allowing pari-mutuel track betting.
    • Authorizing the creation of a state lottery.
• October 23, 1987: The United States Senate rejected the nomination of Robert Bork for a seat on the United States Supreme Court.
• November 8, 1988: 1988 United States general election:
  • George H. W. Bush (R) elected President of the United States.
  • Herb Kohl (D) elected United States senator from Wisconsin.

Major legislation

• An Act ... relating to creating a state lottery, creating a lottery board, taxation of lottery winnings, granting rule-making authority, providing a penalty and making appropriations, 1987 Act 119. Established the Wisconsin Lottery. A property tax credit included in the original law was line-item vetoed.

Party summary

Senate summary

	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total
	Dem.	Rep.		Vacant
End of previous Legislature		19	14	33	0
Start of Reg. Session[2]	19	11	30	3
From Apr. 21, 1987[3]		14	33	0
From Apr. 15, 1988[4]			18	32	1
From Nov. 15, 1988[5]			19	33	0
Final voting share
Beginning of the next Legislature		20	13	33	0

Assembly summary

	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total
	Dem.	Rep.		Vacant
End of previous Legislature		52	47	99	0
Start of Reg. Session	54	45	99	0
From Apr. 21, 1987[6]		42	96	3
From Jun. 16, 1987[7]	55	44	99	0
From Aug. 4, 1987[8]		43	98	1
From Oct. 12, 1987[9]		44	99	0
From May 23, 1988[10]			54	98	1
Final voting share
Beginning of the next Legislature		56	43	99	0

Sessions

• Regular session: January 5, 1987January 3, 1989
• September 1987 special session: September 15, 1987September 16, 1987
• November 1987 special session: November 18, 1987June 7, 1988
• May 1988 extraordinary session: May 17, 1988June 16, 1988
• June 1988 special session: June 30, 1988June 30, 1988
• June 1988 extraordinary session: June 30, 1988July 20, 1988

Leaders

Senate leadership

• President of the Senate: Fred Risser (D–Madison)

Senate majority leadership

• Majority Leader: Joseph A. Strohl (D–Racine)
• Assistant Majority Leader: John Norquist (D–Milwaukee)
  • Jerome Van Sistine (D–Green Bay)

Senate minority leadership

• Minority Leader: Susan Engeleiter (R–Menomonee Falls)
• Assistant Minority Leader: Michael G. Ellis (R–Neenah)

Assembly leadership

• Speaker of the Assembly: Thomas A. Loftus (D–Sun Prairie)
• Speaker pro tempore: David Clarenbach (D–Madison)

Assembly majority leadership

• Majority Leader: Thomas A. Hauke (D–West Allis)
• Assistant Majority Leader: John Medinger (D–La Crosse)

Assembly minority leadership

• Minority Leader: Betty Jo Nelsen (R–Shorewood)
• Assistant Minority Leader: Joseph E. Tregoning (R–Shullsburg)

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Senate for the Eighty-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:^[11]

Dist.	Senator	Party	Age (1987)	Home	First elected
			Rep.		Rockland, Brown County	1977
	--Vacant until Apr. 21, 1987--
			Rep.		Green Bay, Brown County	1987
			Dem.		Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1982
			Dem.		Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1988
			Dem.		Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1984
			Dem.		Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1982
			Dem.		Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1980
			Dem.		Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1984
			Dem.		Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1983
			Dem.		Wilson, Sheboygan County	1986
			Rep.		River Falls, Pierce County	1980
			Rep.		Waukesha, Waukesha County	1976
			Dem.		Crandon, Forest County	1983
			Rep.		Fort Atkinson, Jefferson County	1980
			Rep.		Dayton, Waupaca County	1984
	--Vacant until Apr. 21, 1987--
			Rep.		Beloit, Rock County	1987
			Dem.		Madison, Dane County	1984
			Rep.		Fennimore, Grant County	1978
	--Vacant until Apr. 21, 1987--
			Rep.		, Winnebago County	1987
			Rep.		Neenah, Winnebago County	1982
20			Rep.			1984
			Dem.		Racine, Racine County	1978
			Dem.		Kenosha, Kenosha County	1984
			Dem.		Lafayette, Chippewa County	1978
			Dem.		Stevens Point, Portage County	1983
			Dem.		Poplar, Douglas County	1986
			Dem.		Madison, Dane County	1962
			Dem.		Middleton, Dane County	1982
			Dem.		New Berlin, Waukesha County	1976
			Rep.		Wausau, Marathon County	1966
			Dem.		Green Bay, Brown County	1976
			Dem.		Whitehall, Trempealeau County	1982
			Rep.		Coon Valley, Vernon County	1984
			Rep.		Brookfield, Waukesha County	1980

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Eighty-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature:^[11]

Senate Dist.	Dist.	Representative	Party	Age (1987)	Home	First Elected
01	01			Dem.		Luxemburg	1970
	02			Dem.		Whitelaw	1982
	03			Rep.		Brillion	1986
02	04			Rep.		Shawano	1982
	05			Rep.		Chilton	1984
	06			Rep.		Green Bay	1982
				Rep.		Allouez	1987
03	07			Dem.		Milwaukee	1977
	08			Dem.		Milwaukee	1986
	09			Dem.		Milwaukee	1980
04	10			Rep.		Shorewood	1979
	11			Dem.		Milwaukee	1986
	12			Dem.		Milwaukee	1984
05	13			Dem.		Milwaukee	1982
	14			Dem.		Milwaukee	1984
	15			Dem.		Milwaukee	1984
06	16			Dem.		Milwaukee	1982
	17			Dem.		Milwaukee	1980
	18			Dem.		Milwaukee	1976
07	19			Dem.		Milwaukee	1972
	20			Dem.		Milwaukee	1984
	21			Dem.		South Milwaukee	1984
08	22			Dem.		West Allis	1982
	23			Dem.		West Allis	1972
	24			Dem.		Milwaukee	1983
09	25			Dem.		Manitowoc	1980
	26			Dem.		Kohler	1974
	27			Rep.		Elkhart Lake	1982
10	28			Rep.		Amery	1978
	29			Dem.		Menomonie	1978
	30			Rep.		River Falls	1984
11	31			Rep.		Waukesha	1982
	32			Rep.		Waukesha	1982
	33			Rep.		Oconomowoc	1982
12	34			Dem.		Eagle River	1982
	35			Rep.		Antigo	1984
	36			Dem.		Freedom	1983
13	37			Rep.		Lake Mills	1978
	38			Rep.		Jefferson	1984
	39			Rep.		Oak Grove	1982
14	40			Rep.		Marion	1968
	41			Rep.		Leon	1984
	42			Rep.		Douglas	1986
15	43			Rep.		Richmond	1982
	44			Dem.		Janesville	1976
	45			Rep.		Beloit	1984
				Dem.		Beloit	1987
16	46			Dem.		Sun Prairie	1976
	47			Rep.		Monroe	1986
	48			Dem.		Madison	1984
17	49			Rep.		Mount Ida	1986
	50			Rep.		Washington	1982
	51			Rep.		Shullsburg	1967
18	52			Rep.			1956
	53			Rep.		West Bend	1980
	54			Rep.		Oshkosh	1982
				Rep.		Oshkosh	1987
19	55			Rep.		Menasha	1982
	56			Rep.		Oshkosh	1968
	57			Rep.		Appleton	1978
20	58			Rep.		Mequon	1976
	59			Rep.		Lomira	1984
	60			Rep.		Cedarburg	1984
21	61			Dem.		Racine	1984
	62			Dem.		Racine	1980
	63			Rep.		Caledonia	1978
22	64			Dem.		Kenosha	1984
	65			Dem.		Kenosha	1982
	66			Rep.		Burlington	1972
23	67			Dem.		Chippewa Falls	1986
	68			Dem.		Eau Claire	1968
	69			Rep.		Neillsville	1982
24	70			Dem.		Pittsville	1974
	71			Dem.		Stevens Point	1984
	72			Dem.		Wisconsin Rapids	1970
25	73			Dem.		Summit	1986
	74			Dem.		Ashland	1986
	75			Dem.		Rice Lake	1984
26	76			Dem.		Madison	1984
	77			Dem.		Madison	1984
	78			Dem.		Madison	1974
27	79			Dem.		Verona	1982
	80			Dem.		Dekorra	1970
	81			Dem.		Madison	1978
28	82			Dem.		Hales Corners	1970
	83			Rep.		Muskego	1984
	84			Rep.		New Berlin	1982
29	85			Dem.		Wausau	1980
		--Vacant from May 23, 1988--
	86			Dem.		Mosinee	1986
	87			Rep.		Medford	1978
30	88			Rep.		Stephenson	1972
				Rep.		Suamico	1987
	89			Dem.		Pittsfield	1958
	90			Dem.		Green Bay	1986
31	91			Dem.		Whitehall	1982
	92			Rep.		Irving	1984
	93			Dem.		Eau Claire	1982
32	94			Dem.		Holmen	1970
	95			Dem.		La Crosse	1976
	96			Rep.		Eastman	1984
33	97			Rep.		Menomonee Falls	1980
	98			Rep.		Wauwatosa	1982
	99			Rep.		Elm Grove	1986

Employees

Senate employees

• Chief Clerk: Donald J. Schneider^[11]
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Daniel B. Fields

Assembly employees

• Chief Clerk: Thomas T. Melvin^[11]
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Patrick Essie

External links

• 1987: Related Documents from Wisconsin Legislature

Notes and References

1. State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2021–2022 . 2021 . Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau . 978-1-7333817-1-0 . Barish . Lawrence S. . Lemanski . Lynn . https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2021_2022/160_historical_lists.pdf . Historical Lists . 468, 471, 475, 479–480 . August 5, 2023 .
2. Republicans Don Hanaway (2nd District) and Scott McCallum (18th District) and Democrat Timothy Cullen (15th District) resigned before the start of the session.
3. Republicans Robert Cowles (2nd District), Carol Buettner (18th District), and Timothy Weeden (15th District) were sworn in to replace Don Hanaway, Scott McCallum, and Timothy Cullen, respectively.
4. Democrat John Norquist (3rd District) resigned after his election as Mayor of Milwaukee.
5. Democrat Brian Burke (3rd District) was sworn in to replace John Norquist.
6. Republicans Robert Cowles (6th District), Timothy Weeden (45th District), and Carol Buettner (54th District) resigned due to their elections to the state senate.
7. Republicans James R. Charneski (6th District) and Gregg Underheim (54th District) and Democrat Judy Robson (45th District) were sworn in to replace Robert Cowles, Carol Buettner, and Timothy Weeden, respectively.
8. Republican Richard P. Matty (88th District) resigned.
9. Republican John Gard (88th District) was sworn in to replace Richard P. Matty.
10. Democrat John H. Robinson (85th District) resigned due to election as mayor of Wausau.
11. The State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1987 - 1988 . . 1987 . Theobald . H. Rupert . Barish . Lawrence S. . Biographies . 20–88 . December 14, 2023 .