74th Wisconsin Legislature

The Seventy-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 14, 1959, to May 27, 1960, in regular session.

Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first two years of a four-year term. Assembly members were elected to a two-year term. Assembly members and odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 4, 1958. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 6, 1956.

Major events

 * January 5, 1959: Inauguration of Gaylord Nelson as the 35th Governor of Wisconsin.
 * February 16, 1959: Fidel Castro became premier of Cuba.
 * April 25, 1959: The St. Lawrence Seaway opened to traffic, linking the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
 * August 21, 1959: Hawaii was admitted as the 50th U.S. state.
 * April 5, 1960: Voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to allow the state to take on debt to pay for port improvements.
 * May 6, 1960: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1960 into law.
 * September 14, 1960: The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
 * November 8, 1960: 1960 United States general election:
 * John F. Kennedy (D) elected President of the United States.
 * Gaylord Nelson (D) re-elected Governor of Wisconsin.
 * Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to set a county and municipal debt limit of five percent of taxable property.

Major legislation

 * July 24, 1959: An Act ... relating to group health insurance and the group life insurance program for state employes, granting rule-making authority and making an appropriation, 1959 Act 211. Created group life and health insurance programs for state employees.
 * July 31, 1959: An Act ... relating to the abolition of the department of budget and accounts, bureau of engineering, bureau of personnel, bureau of purchases, division of departmental research and the creation of a state department of administration, a board on government operations and making appropriations, 1959 Act 228. Created the Wisconsin Department of Administration.
 * September 19, 1959: An Act ... relating to the abolition of the state planning division, division of industrial development, the creation of a department of resource development, and increasing the appropriation to the university of Wisconsin, 1959 Act 442. Created the Wisconsin Department of Resource Development.
 * October 2, 1959: An Act ... relating to rights of employes of local units of government to form and join labor organizations, 1959 Act 509. Allowed Wisconsin municipal employees to unionize.
 * 1959 Joint Resolution 15: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the state to take on debt to pay for port improvements. This amendment was ratified at the April 1960 election.
 * 1959 Joint Resolution 32: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to set a county and municipal debt limit of five percent of taxable property. This amendment was ratified at the November 1960 election.

Sessions

 * Regular session: January 14, 1959 –May 27, 1960

Senate leadership

 * President of the Senate: Philleo Nash (D)
 * President pro tempore: Frank E. Panzer (R–Oakfield)
 * Majority leader: Robert S. Travis (R–Platteville)
 * Minority leader: Henry Maier (D–Milwaukee)

Assembly leadership

 * Speaker of the Assembly: George Molinaro (D–Kenosha)
 * Majority leader: Keith C. Hardie (D–Taylor)
 * Minority leader: David Blanchard (R–Edgerton)

Members of the Senate
Members of the Senate for the Seventy-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:

Members of the Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Seventy-Fourth Wisconsin Legislature:

Senate committees

 * Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture –J. E. Leverich, chair
 * Senate Standing Committee on Conservation – C. Krueger, chair
 * Senate Standing Committee on Education – W. W. Clark, chair
 * Senate Standing Committee on Governmental and Veterans Affairs –L. P. O'Brien, chair
 * Senate Standing Committee on Highways – J. Miller, chair
 * Senate Standing Committee on Interstate Cooperation – F. E. Panzer, chair
 * Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary – A. Busby, chair
 * Senate Standing Committee on Labor, Taxation, Insurance, and Banking –W. Trinke, chair
 * Senate Standing Committee on Public Welfare –P. P. Carr, chair
 * Senate Special Committee on Committees –J. Miller, chair
 * Senate Special Committee on Contingent Expenditures –R. Bice, chair
 * Senate Special Committee on Legislative Procedure –F. E. Panzer, chair

Assembly committees

 * Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture – J. T. Pritchard, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Manufactures – L. L. Merz, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Conservation – H. F. Pellant, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures – J. Kostuck, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Education – K. C. Hardie, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Elections – S. R. Sobocinski, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed Bills – G. Talsky, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled Bills – E. W. Warren, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and Fees – E. J. Ryczek, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Highways – R. T. Huber, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and Banking – G. Sokolowski, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on the Judiciary – W. W. Ward, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Labor – A. J. Flannigan, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Municipalities – N. Sussman, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Printing – B. A. Riehle, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Public Welfare – I. N. Coggs, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Revision – D. Mogilka, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Rules – K. C. Hardie, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on State Affairs – C. J. Schmidt, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Taxation – R. A. Perala, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Third Reading – R. E. Naleid, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Transportation – F. Christopherson, chair
 * Assembly Standing Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs – J. A. Greco, chair

Joint committees

 * Joint Standing Committee on Finance –W. Draheim (Sen.) & F. A. Risser (Asm.), co-chairs
 * Joint Standing Committee on Revisions, Repeals, and Uniform Laws –G. Lorge (Sen.) & T. J. Duffey (Asm.), co-chairs
 * Joint Legislative Council –G. Molinaro, chair

Senate employees

 * Chief Clerk: Lawrence R. Larsen
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Harold Damon

Assembly employees

 * Chief Clerk: Norman C. Anderson
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Thomas H. Browne