Thomas Harnisch


Thomas William Harnisch is an American lawyer and former politician from Clark County, Wisconsin. A Democrat, he served two terms in the Wisconsin Senate, representing Wisconsin's 31st Senate district from 1975 to 1983.

Early life

Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Harnisch graduated from Gale-Ettrick High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Juris Doctor degree from University of Minnesota Law School.

Wisconsin Senate

Harnisch was a member of a class of freshman Senate Democrats that included Gary Goyke, Kathryn Morrison, and Timothy Cullen. The 1974 election marked the first time Democrats won control of the Wisconsin Senate since 1893.
Harnisch took an interest in higher education and conservation during his two terms in the Senate. He crafted legislation creating the and was one of the leaders in creating the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also helped create a graduate program in energy analysis and policy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Harnisch authored the Wisconsin Farmland Preservation Act, a state program designed to preserve farmland, provide property tax relief to farmers, and prevent soil erosion. He also authored legislation creating the Inland Waters Trout Stamp program, which used its proceeds for restoring and improving trout habitats. The program is considered a national model today. He was the architect of the Wisconsin Conservation Corps, a conservation and youth employment program modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps. Harnisch introduced the legislation in 1981, which was vetoed by Governor Lee S. Dreyfus. The bill was reintroduced by Thomas A. Loftus and signed into law in 1983. Harnisch was appointed by Governor Tony Earl as the first chair of the Wisconsin Conservation Corps Board. The program remained active until 2003. He was also an early proponent of state policies to encourage recycling as well as investments in alternative energy sources, including solar energy.

Post-Senate activities

Harnisch received the Wisconsin Idea Award in Natural Resource Policy in 1989 for his leadership in agricultural and rural development policy, including the Farmland Preservation Act. He remained active in politics as Wisconsin co-chair of the 1988 presidential campaign of Al Gore, later as a Gore delegate at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. He was long affiliated with the Wisconsin Towns Association later in his career.

Personal life and family

Harnisch married Pamela Ann Theirl, a kindergarten teacher, on January 29, 1977. They have five adult children and still reside in Neillsville, Wisconsin.