59th Wisconsin Legislature

Major events

• January 7, 1929: Inauguration of Walter J. Kohler Sr. as the 26th Governor of Wisconsin.
• March 4, 1929: Inauguration of Herbert Hoover as the 31st President of the United States
• March 23, 1929: Wisconsin chief justice Aad J. Vinje died in office. Justice immediately succeeded to the position of chief justice due to the rule of seniority.
• April 2, 1929: 1929 Wisconsin Spring general election:
• * Wisconsin voters approved two amendments to the state constitution:
• ** Allowing legislators to set their own salary by law rather than fixing the salary in the constitution. This was the sixth attempt in 20 years to amend the constitution to allow some adjustment to legislator salary, all the previous attempts failed.
• ** Sheriffs were allowed to serve two consecutive terms in office.
• * Wisconsin voters approved an advisory referendum calling for modification of the federal prohibition law.
• April 12, 1929: Governor appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice.
• May 1, 1929: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice resigned due to poor health.
• June 3, 1929: Governor appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the retired justice.
• July 27, 1929: The Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War was signed by 37 nations, including the United States.
• October 24-29, 1929: The Wall Street Crash of 1929 wiped out more than $30 Billion worth of value from the New York Stock Exchange, one of the inciting events of the Great Depression.
• October 25, 1929: Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall was convicted of bribery for his role in the Teapot Dome scandal, becoming the first Presidential cabinet member to go to prison for actions in office.
• November 14, 1929: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice died in office.
• December 15, 1929: The Green Bay Packers were the champions of the 1929 NFL season.
• April 4, 1930: Governor appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice.
• May 2, 1930: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice died in office.
• June 17, 1930: U.S. President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act, enacting some of the highest tariffs in U.S. history.
• July 13, 1930: Wisconsin congressman Florian Lampert died in office.
• August 25, 1930: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice died in office.
• September 16, 1930: Incumbent Wisconsin governor Walter J. Kohler Sr. lost renomination in the Republican primary.
• September 25, 1930: Governor appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice Charles H. Crownhart.
• September 26, 1930: Governor appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice
• November 4, 1930: 1930 United States general election:
• * Philip La Follette elected Governor of Wisconsin.
• * Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the state constitution granting the Governor the power of a partial veto on appropriation bills.
• December 14, 1930: The Green Bay Packers were the champions of the 1930 NFL season.

Major legislation

• August 30, 1929: An Act... relating to a children's code for Wisconsin and providing penalties, . Wisconsin's Children's Code, created a comprehensive set of state laws around child welfare and juvenile justice.
• September 12, 1929: An Act... relating to the consolidation of the departments of agriculture, the dairy and food commissioner, the department of markets, the state treasury agent, the state supervisor of inspectors of illuminating oils and the state humane agent in a new department of agriculture tind markets, and making appropriations, . Consolidated several state agencies and commissions into the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Markets.
• 1929 Joint Resolution 6: Joint Resolution to amend section 21 of Article IV of the constitution, relating to the compensation of members of the legislature, so as to in effect repeal such section, and the submission of this amendment to a vote of the people at the April election of 1929. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to remove the constitution's prescriptive section on legislator pay and instead allow legislator pay to be set by the normal legislative process. This amendment was ratified by voters at the April 1929 election.
• 1929 Joint Resolution 13: Joint Resolution to amend section 4 of Article VI of the constitution, relating to the election of sheriffs and to submit this amendment to a vote of the people at the April election of 1929. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow sheriffs to serve two consecutive terms. This amendment was ratified by voters at the April 1929 election.
• 1929 Joint Resolution 43: Joint Resolution to amend section 10 of article V of the constitution, relating to the approval of bills by the governor, and to submit this amendment to vote of the people at the general election in November, 1930. Second legislative passaged of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to grant the Governor the power of a partial veto on appropriation bills. This amendment was ratified by voters at the November 1930 election.
• 1929 Joint Resolution 69: Joint Resolution to amend section 5 of Article V of the constitution, relating to the compensation of the governor, so as to in effect repeal the said section. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to remove the constitution's prescriptive section on gubernatorial salary and instead allow the Governor's salary to be set through the normal legislative process. This amendment would eventually be ratified at the November 1932 election.
• 1929 Joint Resolution 70: Joint Resolution to amend section 9 of Article V of the constitution, relating to the compensation of the lieutenant governor, so as to in effect repeal this section. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to remove the constitution's prescriptive section on Lieutenant Governor's salary and instead allow the Lieutenant Governor's salary to be set through the normal legislative process. This amendment would eventually be ratified at the November 1932 election.
• 1929 Joint Resolution 72: Joint Resolution to amend Section 1 of Article VII of the constitution, relating to impeachments. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution making technical corrections to the impeachment section of the constitution. This amendment would eventually be ratified at the November 1932 election.
• 1929 Joint Resolution 74: Joint Resolution to amend section 3 of article XI of the constitution, relating to indebtedness secured by public utility and other income producing property of municipalities. First legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution making additional allowances for municipal indebtedness. This amendment would eventually be ratified at the November 1932 election.

Sessions

Leaders

Senate leadership

• President of the Senate: Henry Huber
• President pro tempore: Oscar Morris

Assembly leadership

• Speaker of the Assembly: Charles B. Perry

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Assembly

Committees

Senate committees

• Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and LaborJ. C. Schumann, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on CommitteesE. J. Roethe, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresW. H. Markham, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on Corporations and TaxationH. Daggett, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public WelfareW. S. Goodland, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on HighwaysC. B. Casperson, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on the JudiciaryI. P. Mehigan, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on Legislative ProcedureO. Morris, chair
• Senate Standing Committee on State and Local GovernmentM. F. White, chair

Assembly committees

• Assembly Standing Committee on AgricultureD. V. Smith, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and ManufacturesC. E. Hanson, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on ConservationL. L. Thayer, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresJ. C. Hanson, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on EducationE. G. Smith, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on ElectionsC. A. Budlong, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed BillsC. N. Saugen, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled BillsJ. W. Carow, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and FeesC. L. Lacy, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on HighwaysG. M. O'Connor, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and BankingF. L. Prescott, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on the JudiciaryA. C. Reis, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on LaborM. Laffey, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on MunicipalitiesT. Engel, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on PrintingE. E. Husband, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Public WelfareH. E. Stephens, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on RevisionF. E. Moul, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on RulesW. H. Edwards, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on State AffairsP. E. Nelson, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on TaxationW. H. Edwards, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on Third ReadingL. D. Eastman, chair
• Assembly Standing Committee on TransportationT. H. Conway, chair

Joint committees

• Joint Standing Committee on FinanceH. E. Boldt & E. F. Hilker, co-chairs

Employees

Senate employees

• Chief Clerk: Oliver Munson
• * Assistant Chief Clerk: R. A. Cobban
• Sergeant-at-Arms: George W. Rickeman
• * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: E. A. Hartman
• Postmaster: Joseph Kernler

Assembly employees

• Chief Clerk: C. E. Shaffer
• * Journal Clerk: Charles E. Tuffley
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles F. Moulton
• * Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Lincoln Neprud
• Postmaster: Arthur Dihring