88th Wisconsin Legislature

The Eighty-Eighth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 5, 1987, to January 3, 1989, in regular session, and also convened in three special sessions and two extraordinary sessions.

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, 1986. 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, 1984.

Major events

 * January 5, 1987: Inauguration of Tommy Thompson as the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin.
 * February 27, 1987: The Tower Commission report was published, admonishing U.S. President Ronald Reagan for lax oversight of his National Security Council in the Iran–Contra affair.
 * April 7, 1987: 1987 Wisconsin Spring election:
 * Wisconsin voters ratified two amendments to the state constitution:
 * Allowing pari-mutuel track betting.
 * Authorizing the creation of a state lottery.
 * October 23, 1987: The United States Senate rejected the nomination of Robert Bork for a seat on the United States Supreme Court.
 * November 8, 1988: 1988 United States general election:
 * George H. W. Bush (R) elected President of the United States.
 * Herb Kohl (D) elected United States senator from Wisconsin.

Major legislation

 * An Act ... relating to creating a state lottery, creating a lottery board, taxation of lottery winnings, creating a lottery property tax credit, granting rule-making authority, providing a penalty and making appropriations, 1987 Act 119. Established the Wisconsin Lottery.  A property tax credit included in the original law was line-item vetoed.

Sessions

 * Regular session: January 5, 1987 –January 3, 1989
 * September 1987 special session: September 15, 1987 –September 16, 1987
 * November 1987 special session: November 18, 1987 –June 7, 1988
 * May 1988 extraordinary session: May 17, 1988 –June 16, 1988
 * June 1988 special session: June 30, 1988 –June 30, 1988
 * June 1988 extraordinary session: June 30, 1988 –July 20, 1988

Senate leadership

 * President of the Senate: Fred Risser (D–Madison)

Senate majority leadership

 * Majority Leader: Joseph A. Strohl (D–Racine)
 * Assistant Majority Leader: John Norquist (D–Milwaukee) (until Apr. 15, 1988)
 * Jerome Van Sistine (D–Green Bay) (after Apr. 18, 1988)

Senate minority leadership

 * Minority Leader: Susan Engeleiter (R–Menomonee Falls)
 * Assistant Minority Leader: Michael G. Ellis (R–Neenah)

Assembly leadership

 * Speaker of the Assembly: Thomas A. Loftus (D–Sun Prairie)
 * Speaker pro tempore: David Clarenbach (D–Madison)

Assembly majority leadership

 * Majority Leader: Thomas A. Hauke (D–West Allis)
 * Assistant Majority Leader: John Medinger (D–La Crosse)

Assembly minority leadership

 * Minority Leader: Betty Jo Nelsen (R–Shorewood)
 * Assistant Minority Leader: Joseph E. Tregoning (R–Shullsburg)

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

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

Senate employees

 * Chief Clerk: Donald J. Schneider
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Daniel B. Fields

Assembly employees

 * Chief Clerk: Thomas T. Melvin
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Patrick Essie