Wisconsin State Senate

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Wisconsin State Senate
Wisconsin State Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 8, 2013
Leadership
Mary Lazich (R)
Since January 5, 2015
President pro tempore
Rick Gudex (R)
Since January 5, 2015
Majority Leader
Scott L. Fitzgerald (R)
Since January 8, 2013
Minority Leader
Jennifer Shilling (D)
Since January 5, 2015
Structure
Seats 33
Senate diagram 2014 State of Wisconsin.svg
Political groups
Governing party

Opposition parties

Length of term
4 years
Authority Article IV, Wisconsin Constitution
Salary $50,950/year + $153 per diem
Elections
Last election
November 4, 2014
(17 seats)
Next election
November 1, 2016
Meeting place
Wisconsin State Senate Chairs and Podium.jpg
State Senate Chamber
Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin
Website
Wisconsin State Senate

The Wisconsin Senate, the powers of which are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly. Together, they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Constitution ties the size of the State Senate to that of the Assembly, by limiting its size to no less than 1/4, nor more than 1/3, of the size of the Assembly. Currently, Wisconsin is divided into 33 Senate Districts (1/3 of the current Assembly membership of 99) apportioned throughout the state based on population as determined by the decennial census, for a total of 33 senators. A Senate district is formed by combining three Assembly districts. Similar to the U.S. Senate, in addition to its duty of reviewing and voting on all legislation passed through the legislature, the State Senate has the exclusive responsibility of confirming certain gubernatorial appointments, particularly cabinet secretaries (as part of the system of checks and balances) and members of boards and commissions. Senators are elected for four-year terms, staggered so that approximately half of the Senate is up for election every two years. If a vacancy occurs in a Senate seat between elections, it may be filled only by a special election. The Senate chamber is in the south wing of the Wisconsin State Capitol, in Madison.

Salary and benefits

Senators elected or re-elected in the fall of 2008 will receive an annual salary of $49,943. In addition to their salaries, senators outside Dane County may receive a per diem up to $88 to cover living expenses while they are in Dane County on state business. Members of the Madison delegation may receive a per diem up to $44 to cover expenses. Each senator also receives $75 per month in "out-of-session" pay when the Legislature is in session for three days or less. Over two years, each senator is allotted $66,008 to cover general office expenses, printing, postage and district mailings.[citation needed]

2014 general election

Podium in the Senate

Following the 2014 elections, The Wisconsin State Senate maintained a Republican majority in January 2015 for several reasons. Democrat John Lehman, whose district had become solidly Republican following the 2011 redistricting, announced he would forgo re-election and seek the office of Lieutenant Governor, which he lost. Former Republican Senator Van Wanggaard, who lost to Lehman in the 2012 recall elections, defeated Democrat Randy Bryce, 60% to 40%, in the race to succeed Lehman. Following the retirement of Republican Senator Dale Schultz, Republican Representative Howard Marklein defeated Democrat Pat Bomhack. The Senate has 19 Republicans and 14 Democrats. There had been a vacant seat following Glenn Grothman's election the U.S. House of Representatives, but former State Rep. Duey Stroebel was elected on April 7, 2015 to fill the vacancy in District 20.

Current Session

Composition

Midpoint
19 14
Republican Democratic
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
Begin 100th Legislature 19 14 33 0
End 100th 16 17
Begin 101st Legislature 18 15 33 0
End 101st 17 32 1
Begin 102nd[1] 18 14 32 1
April 7, 2015[2] 19 14 33 0
Latest voting share 57.6% 42.4%

Senate Officers

Position Name
  President of the Senate Mary Lazich
  President Pro Tempore of the Senate Rick Gudex
  Majority leader Scott L. Fitzgerald
  Assistant Majority Leader Leah Vukmir
  Majority Caucus Chair Sheila Harsdorf
  Majority Caucus Vice Chair Van Wanggaard
  Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling
  Assistant Minority Leader Dave Hansen
  Minority Caucus Chair Julie Lassa
  Minority Caucus Vice Chair Kathleen Vinehout
Chief Clerk Jeffrey Renk

Members

Senator District Party Residence Current Age First elected Next election
Frank Lasee 01 Rep De Pere 62 2010 2018
Robert Cowles 02 Rep Green Bay 73 1987 2016
Tim Carpenter 03 Dem Milwaukee 64 2002 2018
Lena Taylor 04 Dem Milwaukee 57 2004 2016
Leah Vukmir 05 Rep Wauwatosa 65 2010 2018
Nikiya Harris Dodd 06 Dem Milwaukee 49 2012 2016
Chris Larson 07 Dem Milwaukee 43 2010 2018
Alberta Darling 08 Rep River Hills 79 1992 2016
Devin LeMahieu 09 Rep Sheboygan 51 2014 2018
Sheila Harsdorf 10 Rep River Falls 67 2000 2016
Stephen Nass 11 Rep Whitewater 71 2014 2018
Tom Tiffany 12 Rep Hazelhurst 66 2012 2016
Scott Fitzgerald 13 Rep Juneau 60 1994 2018
Luther Olsen 14 Rep Ripon 73 2004 2016
Janis Ringhand 15 Dem Evansville 74 2014 2018
Mark F. Miller 16 Dem Monona 81 2004 2016
Howard Marklein 17 Rep Spring Green 69 2014 2018
Rick Gudex 18 Rep Fond du Lac 55 2012 2016
Roger Roth 19 Rep Appleton 46 2014 2018
Duey Stroebel 20 Rep Saukville 64 2015 2016
Van H. Wanggaard 21 Rep Racine 71 2014 2018
Robert Wirch 22 Dem Kenosha 80 1996 2016
Terry Moulton 23 Rep Chippewa Falls 77 2010 2018
Julie Lassa 24 Dem Stevens Point 53 2003 2016
Janet Bewley 25 Dem Ashland 72 2014 2018
Fred Risser 26 Dem Madison 96 1962 2016
Jon Erpenbach 27 Dem Middleton 63 1998 2018
Mary Lazich 28 Rep New Berlin 71 1998 2016
Jerry Petrowski 29 Rep Marathon 73 2012 2018
Dave Hansen 30 Dem Green Bay 76 2000 2016
Kathleen Vinehout 31 Dem Alma 65 2006 2018
Jennifer Shilling 32 Dem La Crosse 54 2011 2016
Chris Kapenga 33 Rep Delafield 52 2015 2018

Past notable members

See also

References

  1. Republican Glenn Grothman (District 20) resigned prior to the session start after being sworn into the 114th United States Congress
  2. Republican Duey Stroebel was elected in District 20 to succeed Grothman. [1]

External links