83rd Wisconsin Legislature

The Eighty-Third Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 3, 1977, to January 3, 1979, in regular session, and also convened in four special sessions.

This legislative session saw a dramatic overhaul of the Wisconsin judicial system as voters approved a series of amendments to the Constitution of Wisconsin which established the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and collapsed the county courts into the Wisconsin circuit court system. The amendment also established a constitutional basis for the powers of the Wisconsin Supreme Court to administer the state court system.

Senators representing even-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 even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 2, 1976. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 5, 1974.

Major events

 * January 20, 1977: Inauguration of Jimmy Carter as 39th President of the United States.
 * April 5, 1977: 1977 Wisconsin spring election:
 * William G. Callow was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed Robert W. Hansen.
 * Wisconsin voters ratified five amendments to the state constitution:
 * Allowing the legislature to authorize charitable raffle games as an exception to state gambling prohibitions.
 * Collapsing the county court system into the Wisconsin circuit courts.
 * Establishing the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.
 * Establishing disciplinary rules for the judiciary.
 * Repealing the mandatory retirement age for judges (70) and instead enabling the Legislature to set a mandatory retirement age. The legislature has never yet implemented such a law.
 * July 3, 1977: About 20,000 members of the Wisconsin State Employee's Union started an illegal strike, paralyzing many state agencies and functions.
 * July 6, 1977: Wisconsin governor Patrick Lucey resigned from office after he was confirmed by the United States Senate as Ambassador to Mexico. Lieutenant Governor Martin J. Schreiber immediately succeeded him as the 39th Governor of Wisconsin.
 * July 21, 1977: The Wisconsin State Employee's Union strike came to an end after receiving concessions from the state government.
 * August 4, 1977: U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed legislation creating the United States Department of Energy.
 * January 24, 1978: The Great Blizzard of 1978 began, affecting all of the Great Lakes region.
 * April 4, 1978: 1978 Wisconsin spring election:
 * John Louis Coffey was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed Leo B. Hanley.
 * Wisconsin voters rejected an amendment to the state constitution which would have allowed the Legislature to set up different forms of town government.
 * August 6, 1978: Pope Paul VI died at Castel Gandolfo in Italy.
 * August 26, 1978: The August 1978 papal conclave elected Cardinal-Priest Albino Luciani as the next pope, he then took the papal name Pope John Paul I.
 * September 17, 1978: The Camp David Accords were signed between Israel and Egypt.
 * September 28, 1978: Pope John Paul I died.
 * October 16, 1978: The October 1978 papal conclave elected Cardinal-Priest Karol Józef Wojtyła as the next pope, he then took the papal name Pope John Paul II.
 * November 7, 1978: 1978 United States general election:
 * Lee S. Dreyfus (R) elected Governor of Wisconsin.

Major legislation

 * June 29, 1977: An Act ... relating to state finances and appropriations, constituting the executive budget bill of the 1977 legislature, and making appropriations, 1977 Act 29. It was vetoed in part, but the vetoes were overridden. Established the office of secretary of the Department of Industry, Labor & Human Relations, making it a gubernatorial appointee.  The Department of Agriculture was renamed the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Sessions

 * Regular session: January 3, 1977 –January 3, 1979
 * June 1977 special session: June 30, 1977
 * November 1977 special session: November 7, 1977 –November 11, 1977
 * June 1978 special session: June 13, 1978 –June 15, 1978
 * December 1978 special session: December 20, 1978

Senate leadership

 * President of the Senate: Martin J. Schreiber (D) (until July 6, 1977)
 * President pro tempore: Fred Risser (D–Madison)

Senate majority leadership

 * Majority Leader: William A. Bablitch (D–Stevens Point)
 * Assistant Majority Leader: Jerry Kleczka (D–Milwaukee)

Senate minority leadership

 * Minority Leader: Clifford Krueger (R–Merrill)
 * Assistant Minority Leader: Jim Sensenbrenner (R–Shorewood)

Assembly leadership

 * Speaker of the Assembly: Edward Jackamonis (D–Waukesha)
 * Speaker pro tempore: Michael P. Early (D–River Falls)

Assembly majority leadership

 * Majority Leader: James W. Wahner (D–Milwaukee)
 * Assistant Majority Leader: R. Michael Ferrall (D–Racine)

Assembly minority leadership

 * Minority Leader: John C. Shabaz (R–New Berlin)
 * Assistant Minority Leader: Tommy Thompson (R–Elroy)

Members of the Senate
Members of the Senate for the Eighty-Third Wisconsin Legislature:

Members of the Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Eighty-Third Wisconsin Legislature:

Senate employees

 * Chief Clerk: Donald J. Schneider
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Robert M. Thompson

Assembly employees

 * Chief Clerk: Everett E. Bolle
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Joseph E. Jones