91st Wisconsin Legislature

The Ninety-First Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 4, 1993, to January 3, 1995, in regular session, and also convened in two special sessions.

This was the first legislative session after the redistricting of the Senate and Assembly according to a decision of a three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin in 1992.

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 3, 1992. 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 6, 1990.

Major events

 * January 20, 1993: Inauguration of Bill Clinton as the 42nd President of the United States.
 * February 26, 1993: A truck bomb was detonated by terrorists below the north tower of the World Trade Center, resulting in 6 deaths.
 * April 6, 1993: 1993 Wisconsin spring election:
 * Wisconsin voters ratified two amendments to the state constitution:
 * Creating a new section in the enumeration of rights to say crime victims are entitled to dignity, fairness, and respect for privacy.
 * Updating the constitutional prohibition on gambling to differentiate from the specific lottery exceptions enumerated in other parts of the constitution.
 * April 19, 1993: The Waco siege ended with a gun battle and fire that killed 67 people, including the sect leader David Koresh.
 * September 4, 1993: Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson appointed Janine P. Geske to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to succeed Louis J. Ceci, whose resignation became effective the same day.
 * November 1, 1993: The Maastricht Treaty went into effect, establishing the European Union.
 * December 8, 1993: U.S. President Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement.
 * September 13, 1994: U.S. President Bill Clinton signed the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
 * November 8, 1994: 1994 United States general election:
 * Tommy Thompson (R) re-elected Governor of Wisconsin, his third term.
 * Herb Kohl (D) re-elected United States senator from Wisconsin.

Major legislation

 * December 30, 1993: An Act relating to: creating the office of the commissioner of railroads, transferring railroad regulation from the public service commission to the office of the commissioner of railroads, granting rule-making authority and making an appropriation, 1993 Act 123. Re-established the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads.

Sessions

 * Regular session: January 4, 1993 –January 3, 1995
 * May 1994 special session: May 18, 1994 –May 19, 1994
 * June 1994 special session: June 7, 1994 –June 23, 1994

Senate leadership

 * President of the Senate: Fred Risser (D–Madison)
 * Brian Rude (R–Coon Valley)
 * President pro tempore: --Vacant before Apr. 20, 1993--
 * Alan Lasee (R–Rockland)

Senate majority leadership

 * Majority Leader: David Helbach (D–Stevens Point)
 * Michael G. Ellis (R–Neenah)
 * Assistant Majority Leader: Charles Chvala (D–Madison)
 * Margaret Farrow (R–Elm Grove)

Senate minority leadership

 * Minority Leader: Michael G. Ellis (R–Neenah)
 * David Helbach (D–Stevens Point)
 * Robert Jauch (D–Poplar)
 * Assistant Minority Leader: Brian Rude (R–Coon Valley)
 * Fred Risser (D–Madison)

Assembly leadership

 * Speaker of the Assembly: Walter Kunicki (D–Milwaukee)
 * Speaker pro tempore: Tim Carpenter (D–Milwaukee)

Assembly majority leadership

 * Majority Leader: David Travis (D–Madison)
 * Assistant Majority Leader: Barbara Notestein (D–Milwaukee)

Assembly minority leadership

 * Minority Leader: David Prosser Jr. (R–Appleton)
 * Assistant Minority Leader: Robert T. Welch (R–Marion)

Members of the Senate
Members of the Senate for the Ninety-First Wisconsin Legislature:

Members of the Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Ninety-First Wisconsin Legislature:

Senate employees

 * Chief Clerk: Donald J. Schneider
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Daniel B. Fields (res. Aug. 2, 1993)
 * Jon H. Hochkammer (after Jan. 1994)

Assembly employees

 * Chief Clerk: Thomas T. Melvin
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Robert G. Johnston

Changes from the 90th Legislature
New districts for the 91st Legislature were defined in the case of Prosser v. Wisconsin State Elections Board, decided by a three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. This was the second time redistricting in Wisconsin was performed by a federal court.

Summary of Senate changes

 * No districts were left unchanged
 * Milwaukee County went from having 6 whole districts and part of two additional districts down to 5 whole districts (3, 4, 5, 6, 7) and part of three additional districts (8, 28, 33).