54th Wisconsin Legislature

Major events

• January 16, 1919: The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, establishing the prohibition of alcohol, was ratified by the requisite number of states to come into force.
• January 21, 1919: The Irish Republic declared independence from the United Kingdom, initiating the Irish War of Independence.
• January 25, 1919: The League of Nations was founded in Paris.
• June 28, 1919: The Treaty of Versailles was signed, formalizing Germany's settlement with the Entente at the end of World War I.
• August 11, 1919: The Green Bay Packers American football club was founded by Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun.
• October 2, 1919: U.S. President Woodrow Wilson suffered a severe stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed, with permanent neurological damage.
• October 28, 1919: The U.S. Congress overrode President Woodrow Wilson's veto of the Volstead Act, which established prohibition of alcohol enabled by the new 18th amendment.
• November 30, 1919: Health officials declared an end to the Spanish flu pandemic.
• March 19, 1920: The U.S. Senate failed in its last attempt to ratify the Treaty of Versailles. Wisconsin's senior U.S. senator Robert M. La Follette was among the leading "irreconcilable" holdouts preventing ratification.
• April 6, 1920: Wisconsin voters rejected two amendments to the state constitution:
• * to allow legislator pay to be set by law rather than fixed in the constitution.
• * to allow the legislature to decrease the number of state judicial circuits while maintaining or increasing the number of judges.
• July 13, 1920: Wisconsin chief justice John B. Winslow died in office. Justice Robert G. Siebecker immediately succeeded to the position of chief justice due to the rule of seniority.
• August 18, 1920: The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote, was ratified by the requisite number of states to come into force.
• September 6, 1920: Attorney Burr W. Jones was appointed a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court by Governor Emanuel L. Philipp, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of chief justice
• November 2, 1920: 1920 United States general election:
• * Warren G. Harding elected President of the United States.
• * John J. Blaine elected Governor of Wisconsin.
• * Irvine Lenroot re-elected United States senator from Wisconsin.
• December 1, 1920: Mexican revolutionary general Álvaro Obregón was inaugurated as president of Mexico, effectively ending the Mexican Revolution.

Major legislation

• Joint Resolution ratifying an amendment to the constitution of the United States relating to intoxicating liquors, . Wisconsin's ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
• Joint Resolution relating to the league of nations, . Endorsed the League of Nations and supported the United States joining.
• Joint Resolution relating to the establishment of a Jewish State of Palestine and for the granting of complete liberty to the Jewish people in all countries, .
• Joint Resolution to amend section 21 of article IV of the constitution, relating to compensation of members of the legislature, . Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the Legislature to set its own salary through the normal legislative process. The amendment was defeated by voters in the April 1920 election.
• Joint Resolution to amend section 4 of article VI of the constitution, relating to county officers, . First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to remove term limits for sheriffs.
• Joint Resolution to amend sections 6 and 7, of article VII, of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, relating to circuit judges, . Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the Legislature to decrease the number of state judicial circuits. This amendment was also defeated by voters in the April 1920 election.
• Joint Resolution memorializing congress in behalf of the farmers to repeal the law advancing the time one hour, . Communicating to Congress disapproval of daylight saving time.
• Joint Resolution to create section 3b of article XI of the constitution, relating to the indebtedness of municipal corporations, . First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to extend the allowance for municipal indebtedness for the purpose of establishing street rail projects or for heat, water, and power utility purposes.
• Joint Resolution to amend section 5, article I, of the constitution, relating to trial by jury, . First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to change the jury rules for civil cases to require a minimum of five-sixths majority for a valid verdict.
• Joint Resolution ratifying an amendment to the constitution of the United States relating to woman's suffrage, . Wisconsin's ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Sessions

Leaders

Senate leadership

• President of the Senate: Edward Dithmar
• President pro tempore: Willard T. Stevens

Assembly leadership

• Speaker of the Assembly: Riley S. Young

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Assembly

Committees

Senate committees

• Senate Standing Committee on CommitteesI. P. Witter, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresH. E. Roethe, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on CorporationsJ. H. Bennett, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public WelfareA. J. Pullen, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on HighwaysL. E. Cunningham, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on the JudiciaryT. Benfey, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on Legislative ProcedureW. T. Stevens, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on Reconstruction and ReadjustmentR. P. Wilcox, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on State AffairsW. T. Stevens, chair

Assembly committees

• Assembly Standing Committee on AgricultureS. R. Webster, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and ManufacturesJ. E. Johnson, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresJ. W. Conner, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on EducationM. L. Hineman, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on ElectionsW. R. Chipman, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed BillsE. F. Ganz, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled BillsC. E. Hanson, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and FeesJ. C. Anderson, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Fish and GameH. Kandutsch, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on HighwaysJ. J. Ruka, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and BankingJ. C. Chapple, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on the JudiciaryT. S. Nolan, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on LaborJ. H. Jensen, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on MunicipalitiesF. N. Graass, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on PrintingG. H. Hood, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Public WelfareR. B. Melvin, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on RevisionW. F. Dettinger, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on RulesJ. F. Buckley, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on State AffairsA. Johnson, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on TaxationW. H. Edwards, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Third ReadingG. E. Ansorge, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on TransportationC. H. Carter, chair

Joint committees

• Joint Standing Committee on FinanceA. H. Wilkinson & C. Kurtenacker, co-chairs
• Joint Special Committee on DrainageI. P. Witter, chair
• Joint Special Committee for the Historical Society InvestigationH. E. Roethe, chair
• Joint Special Committee for the International Harvester Co. InvestigationJ. H. Bennett, chair
• Joint Special Committee on Legislative VisitingE. F. Clark, chair
• Joint Special Committee for the Milwaukee Street Railway InvestigationG. B. Skogmo, chair
• Joint Special Committee on Pensions, Annuities, and Retirement Funds for TeachersA. Kuckuk, chair

Employees

Senate employees

• Chief Clerk: Oliver G. Munson
• * Assistant Chief Clerk: C. E. Mullen
• Sergeant-at-Arms: John Turner
• * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Olaf Goldstrand
• Postmaster: Frank C. Densmore

Assembly employees

• Chief Clerk: C. E. Shaffer
• * Journal Clerk: Charles E. Tuffley
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Thomas Grant Cretney
• * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: E. F. Wright
• Postmaster: J. E. Barnard