85th Wisconsin Legislature

The Eighty-Fifth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 5, 1981, to January 3, 1983, in regular session, and also convened in three special sessions.

85th Wisconsin Legislature
← 84th 86th →
Wisconsin State Capitol
Overview
Legislative body	Wisconsin Legislature
Meeting place	Wisconsin State Capitol
Term	January 5, 1981 – January 3, 1983
Election	November 4, 1980
Senate
Members	33
Senate President	Fred Risser (D)
Party control	Democratic
Assembly
Members	99
Assembly Speaker	Edward Jackamonis (D)
Deputy Speaker	Louise M. Tesmer (D)
Party control	Democratic
Sessions
Regular January 5, 1981 – January 3, 1983
Special sessions
Nov. 1981 Spec. November 4, 1981 – November 17, 1981 Apr. 1982 Spec. April 6, 1982 – May 20, 1982 May 1982 Spec. May 26, 1982 – May 28, 1982

This session represents the third time the Legislature failed to pass a redistricting act on schedule. Ultimately, a panel of federal judges would implement a punitive redistricting plan in 1982, and after Democrats gained unified control of government in 1983, they passed a superseding plan.

Senators representing even-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 even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 4, 1980. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 7, 1978.

Major events

• January 20, 1981: Inauguration of Ronald Reagan as 40th President of the United States.
• March 30, 1981: U.S. President Ronald Reagan and three others were shot by John Hinckley Jr. in Washington, D.C.
• April 7, 1981: 1981 Wisconsin Spring election:
  • Wisconsin voters ratified five amendments to the state constitution:
    • Adding a provision for a recall primary when a nonpartisan official is recalled from office and more than two candidates seek the office.
    • Expanding debt options for municipal sewerage districts.
    • Amending the right to bail to allow the legislature to set additional circumstances where bail could be denied or revoked.
    • Updating conflicting language in the constitution relating to special corporations.
    • Removing a requirement for two-thirds vote on any changes to banking law.
• September 25, 1981: Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court.
• March 26, 1982: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice John Louis Coffey resigned from office after he was confirmed as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
• April 6, 1982: 1982 Wisconsin Spring election:
  • Wisconsin voters ratified an amendment to the state constitution allowing the Legislature to make counties financial liable for damages suffered by wrongful acts by sheriffs.
• April 15, 1982: Wisconsin governor Lee S. Dreyfus appointed Louis J. Ceci to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to succeed John Louis Coffey.
• June 9, 1982: A three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin handed down their decision in the case of Wisconsin State AFL-CIO v. Elections Board, imposing new punitive legislative maps on Wisconsin.
• November 2, 1982: 1982 United States general election:
  • Tony Earl (D) elected Governor of Wisconsin.
  • William Proxmire (D) re-elected United States senator from Wisconsin.
  • Wisconsin voters ratified nine amendments to the state constitution:
    • Removing the words "man" and "men and "his" and "her" and replacing them with gender-neutral words.
    • Removing an exclusion on counting overseas soldiers and sailors from the language on redistricting.
    • Removing obsolete language left in the constitution by the 1881 term-lengths amendments.
    • Removing the requirement for a voice vote in the legislature for the election of their own officers.
    • Removing obsolete language left in the constitution by a 1902 amendment.
    • Removing obsolete language directing Civil War draft substitute payments to go into the state school fund.
    • Removing obsolete language dealing with the transition from the Wisconsin Territory into statehood in 1848.
    • Two amendments removing obsolete language left from the court transition amendments in 1977.

Major legislation

• March 4, 1982: Joint Resolution ... relating to removal of obsolete provisions regarding transitions from territory to statehood, transitions in offices, legislative districting and elections, the school fund and masculine and feminine gender terminology, Enrolled Joint Resolution 29. This was the second legislative passage of a series of proposed amendments to the state constitution removing obsolete language from the constitution. These amendments were ratified by voters at the November 1982 election.

Party summary

Senate summary

Senate partisan composition

  Democratic: 19 seats

  Republican: 14 seats

	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total
	Dem.	Rep.		Vacant
End of previous Legislature	19	12	31	2
Start of Reg. Session	19	14	33	0
Final voting share	60.61%	39.39%
Beginning of the next Legislature	17	14	31	2

Assembly summary

Assembly partisan composition

  Democratic: 58 seats

  Republican: 40 seats

  Vacant: 1 seat

	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total
	Dem.	Rep.		Vacant
End of previous Legislature	60	38	98	1
Start of Reg. Session	59	39	98	1
From Apr. 15, 1981		40	99	0
From Apr. 30, 1981	58		98	1
From Nov. 1, 1981	57		97	2
From Dec. 17, 1981		39	96	3
From Jan. 15, 1982	58		97	2
From Apr. 14, 1982		40	98	1
From Jun. 25, 1982		41	99	0
Final voting share	58.59%	41.41%
Beginning of the next Legislature	59	40	99	0

Sessions

• Regular session: January 5, 1981 – January 3, 1983
• November 1981 special session: November 4, 1981 – November 17, 1981
• April 1982 special session: April 6, 1982 – May 20, 1982
• May 1982 special session: May 26, 1982 – May 28, 1982

Leaders

Senate leadership

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

Senate majority leadership

• Majority Leader: William A. Bablitch (D–Stevens Point) (until May 26, 1982)
  • Timothy Cullen (D–Janesville) (after May 26, 1982)
• Assistant Majority Leader: James T. Flynn (D–West Allis)

Senate minority leadership

• Minority Leader: Walter Chilsen (R–Wausau)
• Assistant Minority Leader: Don Hanaway (R–De Pere)

Assembly leadership

• Speaker of the Assembly: Edward Jackamonis (D–Waukesha)
• Deputy Speaker: Louise M. Tesmer (D–Milwaukee)

Assembly majority leadership

• Majority Leader: Thomas A. Loftus (D–Sun Prairie)
• Assistant Majority Leader: Chester A. Gerlach (D–South Milwaukee)

Assembly minority leadership

• Minority Leader: John C. Shabaz (R–New Berlin)
• Assistant Minority Leader: Tommy Thompson (R–Elroy)

Members

Members of the Senate

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

Senate partisan representation

  Democratic: 19 seats

  Republican: 14 seats

Dist.	Senator	Party	Age (1981)	Home	First elected
01	Alan Lasee	Rep.	43	De Pere, Brown County	1977
02	Don Hanaway	Rep.	47	De Pere, Brown County	1979
03	Jerry Kleczka	Dem.	37	Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1974
04	Rod Johnston	Rep.	43	Whitefish Bay, Milwaukee County	1979
05	David Berger	Dem.	34	Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1974
06	Gary George	Dem.	26	Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1980
07	Kurt Frank	Dem.	35	Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1970
08	James T. Flynn	Dem.	36	West Allis, Milwaukee County	1972
09	Jim Moody	Dem.	45	Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1978
10	James Harsdorf	Rep.	30	River Falls, Pierce County	1980
11	Warren Braun	Dem.	46	Milwaukee, Milwaukee County	1976
12	Clifford Krueger	Rep.	62	Merrill, Lincoln County	1946
13	Barbara Lorman	Rep.	48	Fort Atkinson, Jefferson County	1980
14	Gerald Lorge	Rep.	58	Bear Creek, Outagamie County	1954
15	Timothy Cullen	Dem.	36	Janesville, Rock County	1974
16	Carl W. Thompson	Dem.	66	Stoughton, Dane County	1959
17	Richard Kreul	Rep.	56	Fennimore, Grant County	1978
18	Scott McCallum	Rep.	30	Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County	1976
19	Gary Goyke	Dem.	33	Oshkosh, Winnebago County	1974
20	David W. Opitz	Rep.	35	Port Washington, Ozaukee County	1979
21	Joseph A. Strohl	Dem.	34	Racine, Racine County	1978
22	John J. Maurer	Dem.	58	Kenosha, Kenosha County	1975
23	Marvin J. Roshell	Dem.	48	Lafayette, Chippewa County	1978
24	William A. Bablitch	Dem.	39	Stevens Point, Portage County	1972
25	Daniel Theno	Rep.	33	Ashland, Ashland County	1972
26	Fred Risser	Dem.	53	Madison, Dane County	1962
27	Everett Bidwell	Rep.	81	Portage, Columbia County	1970
28	Lynn Adelman	Dem.	41	New Berlin, Waukesha County	1976
29	Walter Chilsen	Rep.	57	Wausau, Marathon County	1966
30	Jerome Van Sistine	Dem.	54	Green Bay, Brown County	1976
31	Thomas Harnisch	Dem.	33	Neillsville, Clark County	1974
32	Paul Offner	Dem.	38	La Crosse, La Crosse County	1968
33	Susan Engeleiter	Rep.	28	Brookfield, Waukesha County	1980

Members of the Assembly

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

Assembly partisan representation

  Democratic: 58 seats

  Republican: 40 seats

  Vacant: 1 seat

Senate Dist.	Dist.	Representative	Party	Age (1981)	Home	First Elected
01	01	Lary J. Swoboda	Dem.	41	Luxemburg	1970
	02	Vernon W. Holschbach	Dem.	54	Manitowoc	1980
	03	Daniel Fischer	Dem.	28	Reedsville	1976
02	04	Gary T. Dilweg	Rep.	43	De Pere	1978
	05	William J. Rogers	Dem.	50	Kaukauna	1962
	06	Gervase Hephner	Dem.	44	Chilton	1966
03	07	Joseph Czarnezki	Dem.	26	Milwaukee	1980
	08	John Norquist	Dem.	31	Milwaukee	1974
	09	Phillip Tuczynski	Dem.	33	Milwaukee	1974
04	10	Betty Jo Nelsen	Rep.	45	Shorewood	1979
	11	Gus Menos	Dem.	60	Milwaukee	1971
	12	John L. Merkt	Rep.	34	Mequon	1976
05	13	Michael G. Kirby	Dem.	28	Milwaukee	1974
	14	Robert E. Behnke	Dem.	48	Milwaukee	1972
	15	Lois Plous	Dem.	42	Milwaukee	1980
06	16	William B. Broydrick (res. Nov. 1, 1981)	Dem.	32	Milwaukee	1978
		Thomas W. Meaux (from Jan. 15, 1982)	Dem.	27	Milwaukee	1982
	17	Annette Polly Williams	Dem.	43	Milwaukee	1980
	18	Marcia P. Coggs	Dem.	52	Milwaukee	1976
07	19	Louise M. Tesmer	Dem.	38	Milwaukee	1972
	20	John Plewa	Dem.	35	Milwaukee	1972
	21	Chester A. Gerlach	Dem.	33	South Milwaukee	1974
08	22	George Klicka	Rep.	46	Wauwatosa	1966
	23	Thomas A. Hauke	Dem.	42	West Allis	1972
	24	Gary J. Barczak	Dem.	41	West Allis	1972
09	25	Barbara Ulichny	Dem.	33	Milwaukee	1978
	26	Stephen R. Leopold	Dem.	36	Milwaukee	1976
	27	Walter Kunicki	Dem.	22	Milwaukee	1980
10	28	David E. Paulson	Rep.	49	Amery	1978
	29	Robert W. Harer	Rep.	39	Woodville	1978
	30	Jule Berndt	Rep.	56	River Falls	1980
11	31	Mordecai Lee	Dem.	32	Milwaukee	1976
	32	Dismas Becker	Dem.	44	Milwaukee	1977
	33	Thomas J. Crawford	Dem.	28	Milwaukee	1980
12	34	Robert J. Larson	Rep.	48	Medford	1978
	35	Sheehan Donoghue	Rep.	37	Merrill	1972
	36	Lloyd H. Kincaid	Dem.	55	Crandon	1972
13	37	David Travis	Dem.	32	Madison	1978
	38	Harland E. Everson	Dem.	63	Edgerton	1970
	39	Randall S. Knox	Rep.	31	Jefferson	1980
14	40	Francis R. Byers	Rep.	60	Marion	1968
	41	Ervin Conradt	Rep.	64	Shiocton	1964
	42	David Prosser Jr.	Rep.	38	Appleton	1978
15	43	Cloyd A. Porter	Rep.	45	Burlington	1972
	44	Delmar DeLong	Rep.	49	Janesville	1972
	45	Gary K. Johnson	Dem.	41	Beloit	1970
16	46	Thomas A. Loftus	Dem.	35	Sun Prairie	1976
	47	Jonathan B. Barry (res. Apr. 30, 1981)	Dem.	35	Primrose	1976
		--Vacant from Apr. 30, 1981, to Jun. 25, 1982--
		John T. Manske (from Jun. 25, 1982)	Rep.	29	Milton	1981
	48	Wayne W. Wood	Dem.	50	Janesville	1976
17	49	Robert S. Travis Jr.	Rep.	33	Platteville	1976
	50	Joanne M. Duren	Dem.	49	Cazenovia	1970
	51	Joseph E. Tregoning	Rep.	39	Shullsburg	1967
18	52	Earl F. McEssy	Rep.	67	Fond du Lac	1956
	53	Mary Panzer	Rep.	29	Brownsville	1980
	54	Esther Doughty Luckhardt	Rep.	67	Horicon	1962
19	55	Michael G. Ellis	Rep.	38	Neenah	1970
	56	Richard A. Flintrop	Dem.	35	Oshkosh	1972
	57	Gordon R. Bradley	Rep.	59	Oshkosh	1968
20	58	Carl Otte	Dem.	57	Sheboygan	1967
	59	Calvin Potter	Dem.	35	Kohler	1974
	60	Donald K. Stitt	Rep.	36	Port Washington	1979
21	61	James F. Rooney	Dem.	45	Racine	1972
	62	Jeffrey A. Neubauer	Dem.	25	Racine	1980
	63	E. James Ladwig	Rep.	42	Caledonia	1978
22	64	Joseph F. Andrea	Dem.	53	Kenosha	1976
	65	Eugene Dorff	Dem.	50	Kenosha	1970
	66	Mary Wagner	Dem.	31	Salem	1978
23	67	David R. Hopkins	Rep.	42	Eagle Point	1978
	68	Joseph Looby	Dem.	63	Eau Claire	1968
	69	Richard Shoemaker	Dem.	29	Menomonie	1978
24	70	Donald W. Hasenohrl	Dem.	45	Pittsville	1974
	71	David Helbach	Dem.	32	Stevens Point	1978
	72	Patricia A. Goodrich	Rep.	47	Berlin	1974
25	73	Thomas B. Murray	Dem.	42	Superior	1972
	74	June Jaronitzky	Rep.	42	Tripp	1980
	75	Patricia Spafford Smith	Dem.	55	Rice Lake	1978
26	76	Mary Lou Munts	Dem.	56	Madison	1972
	77	Midge Miller	Dem.	58	Madison	1970
	78	David Clarenbach	Dem.	27	Madison	1974
27	79	Tommy Thompson	Rep.	39	Elroy	1966
	80	James F. Laatsch	Rep.	40	Arlington	1978
	81	Randall J. Radtke	Rep.	29	Lake Mills	1978
28	82	James A. Rutkowski	Dem.	38	Hales Corners	1970
	83	John C. Shabaz (res. Dec. 17, 1981)	Rep.	29	New Berlin	1964
		John C. Schober (from Apr. 14, 1982)	Rep.	50	New Berlin	1982
	84	--Vacant until Apr. 15, 1981--
		John M. Alberts (from Apr. 15, 1981)	Rep.	47	Oconomowoc	1981
29	85	John H. Robinson	Dem.	25	Wausau	1980
	86	John L. McEwen	Rep.	52	Schofield	1980
	87	Earl W. Schmidt	Rep.	44	Birnamwood	1974
30	88	Richard P. Matty	Rep.	48	Stephenson	1972
	89	Cletus J. Vanderperren	Dem.	68	Pittsfield	1958
	90	Sharon Metz	Dem.	46	Green Bay	1974
31	91	Alan S. Robertson	Rep.	39	Blair	1980
	92	Robert Quackenbush	Rep.	57	Sparta	1970
	93	Marlin Schneider	Dem.	38	Wisconsin Rapids	1970
32	94	Virgil Roberts	Dem.	58	Holmen	1970
	95	John Medinger	Dem.	32	La Crosse	1976
	96	Bernard Lewison	Rep.	78	Viroqua	1954
33	97	Lolita Schneiders	Rep.	49	Menomonee Falls	1980
	98	Edward Jackamonis	Dem.	41	Waukesha	1970
	99	John M. Young	Rep.	54	Brookfield	1978

Employees

Senate employees

• Chief Clerk: Donald J. Schneider
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Daniel B. Fields

Assembly employees

• Chief Clerk: David Kedrowski
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Lewis T. Mittness

External links

• 1981: Related Documents from Wisconsin Legislature