43rd Wisconsin Legislature

Major events

• January 4, 1897: Inauguration of Edward Scofield as 19th Governor of Wisconsin.
• January 31, 1897: John Coit Spooner was elected United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in joint session.
• March 4, 1897: Inauguration of William McKinley as 25th President of the United States.
• May 3, 1897: Wisconsin state legislator William A. Jones was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as commissioner of Indian Affairs.
• November 25, 1897: The Spanish Empire granted autonomy to Puerto Rico.
• January 1, 1898: New York City annexed territory from surrounding counties, becoming the second largest city in the world at that time.
• January 11, 1898: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Alfred Newman died in office.
• January 25, 1898: Wisconsin Governor Edward Scofield appointed Charles V. Bardeen to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to replace the deceased justice Alfred Newman.
• February 15, 1898: The USS Maine exploded in Havana harbor, Cuba, for reasons that are still not known. 266 died in the disaster, which would become the inciting event of the Spanish–American War.
• March 1, 1898: Vladimir Lenin created the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party.
• April 25, 1898: The United States declared war against the Spanish Empire over the destruction of the Maine.
• July 7, 1898: The United States annexed the Hawaiian Islands.
• November 8, 1898: general election
• * Edward Scofield was re-elected as Governor of Wisconsin.
• * Wisconsin voters rejected the new state banking law in a mandatory referendum.
• December 10, 1898: Representatives of the United States and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the Spanish–American War. Spain ceded the territories of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to U.S. control.

Major legislation

• April 22, 1897: An Act to revise the laws authorizing the business of banking, . Attempted to create a state department of banking. The Wisconsin Constitution required that any law which enabled the business of banking in Wisconsin had to be approved by a public referendum. This legislation went to the voters in the 1898 general election and was defeated.
• Joint Resolution that the foregoing proposed amendment to the constitution of the state of Wisconsin be and the same is agreed to by this legislature, . This was the second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to grant authority to the legislature to determine the appropriate number of circuit court seats for single-county circuits. The amendment would be ratified by the voters in the Spring 1897 election.
• Joint Resolution to amend article No. 11 of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, . Proposed an amendment which would enable the Legislature to set limits on taxation enacted by counties and towns in the state. This amendment would not proceed beyond this step.
• Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to section 1, of article 10, of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin relating to education, . Proposed a constitutional amendment to move the election of Superintendent of Public Instruction from the Fall of even numbered years to the Spring of odd numbered years. This amendment also would not proceed, but the proposed change would be enacted by a later amendment.

Sessions

Leaders

Senate leadership

• President of the Senate: Emil Baensch
• President pro tempore: Lyman W. Thayer

Assembly leadership

• Speaker of the Assembly: George A. Buckstaff

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Assembly

Committees

Senate committees

• Senate Committee on AgricultureMcGillivray, chair
• Senate Committee on Assessment and Collection of TaxesWoodworth, chair
• Senate Committee on Banks and InsuranceDavis, chair
• Senate Committee on Bills on Third ReadingWhelan, chair
• Senate Committee on CorporationsMills, chair
• Senate Committee on EducationStout, chair
• Senate Committee on Enrolled BillsPhillips, chair
• Senate Committee on Engrossed BillsConger, chair
• Senate Committee on Federal RelationsWhitman, chair
• Senate Committee on the JudiciaryAustin, chair
• Senate Committee on Legislative ExpensesConger, chair
• Senate Committee on ManufacturesDennett, chair
• Senate Committee on Military AffairsWelton, chair
• Senate Committee on Privileges and ElectionsRoehr, chair
• Senate Committee on Public HealthMailer, chair
• Senate Committee on Public LandsFisher, chair
• Senate Committee on RailroadsWithee, chair
• Senate Committee on Roads and BridgesPeirce, chair
• Senate Committee on State AffairsPutnam, chair
• Senate Committee on Town and County OrganizationsYoumans, chair

Assembly committees

• Assembly Committee on AgricultureBarney A. Eaton, chair
• Assembly Committee on Assessment and Collection of TaxesN. B. Treat, chair
• Assembly Committee on Bills on their Third ReadingBernard C. Wolter, chair
• Assembly Committee on CitiesFrank Anson, chair
• Assembly Committee on CorporationsCharles A. Stanley, chair
• Assembly Committee on Dairy and FoodWilliam Froehlich, chair
• Assembly Committee on EducationFrank T. Tucker, chair
• Assembly Committee on Engrossed BillsGeorge W. Latta, chair
• Assembly Committee on Enrolled BillsMark H. Barnum, chair
• Assembly Committee on Finance, Banks, and InsuranceWilliam A. Jones, chair
• Assembly Committee on Federal RelationsOmar L. Rosenkrans, chair
• Assembly Committee on the JudiciarySilas Bullard, chair
• Assembly Committee on Legislative ExpendituresA. L. Utt, chair
• Assembly Committee on Lumber and MiningA. R. Hall, chair
• Assembly Committee on ManufacturesJoseph C. Marsh, chair
• Assembly Committee on Military AffairsGeorge W. Taylor, chair
• Assembly Committee on Public LandsAndrew Jensen, chair
• Assembly Committee on Public Health and SanitationJesse A. Clason, chair
• Assembly Committee on Public ImprovementsWilliam F. Sieker, chair
• Assembly Committee on Privileges and ElectionsHerman C. Wipperman, chair
• Assembly Committee on RailroadsEmerson D. Hoyt, chair
• Assembly Committee on Roads and BridgesJames O. Davidson, chair
• Assembly Committee on State AffairsJesse Stone, chair
• Assembly Committee on Town and County OrganizationJonathan J. Smith, chair
• Assembly Committee on Ways and MeansWilliam G. Wheeler, chair

Joint committees

• Joint Committee on Charitable and Penal InstitutionsStebbins & William T. Lewis, co-chairs
• Joint Committee on ClaimsBaxter & George H. Ray, co-chairs
• Joint Committee on Fish and GameTimme & Lester B. Dresser, co-chairs
• Joint Committee on PrintingMunson & William M. Fogo, co-chairs

Changes from the 42nd Legislature

Senate redistricting

Summary of changes

• 7 districts were left unchanged.
• Dane County became a single district again after previously having been divided between two districts.
• Milwaukee County went from having 4 and a half districts to 5 districts.
• Fond du Lac County lost its single-district status and was combined with Green Lake County.
• Two counties were split in multi-county districts, down from seven under the previous map.
• Fond du Lac County became its own district after previously having been split between two districts.
• Only three single-county districts remain.
• Seven counties are split between multi-county senate districts.

Assembly redistricting

Summary of changes

• 35 districts were left unchanged.
• Dane County went from having 4 districts to 3.
• Dodge County went from having 3 districts to 2.
• Douglas County went from having 1 district to 2.
• Fond du Lac County went from having 3 districts to 2.
• Milwaukee County went from having 14 districts to 15.
• Portage County went from having 1 district to 2.
• No district comprised more than three counties.