The Seventy-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session and also convened in two special sessions in the fall of 1969 and on December 22, 1970.
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 5, 1968. 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 8, 1966.
Major events
January 6, 1969: Third inauguration of Warren P. Knowles as Governor of Wisconsin. January 20, 1969: Inauguration of Richard Nixon as the 37th President of the United States. January 21, 1969: Wisconsin U.S. representative Melvin Laird (WI-07) resigned from Congress to become United States Secretary of Defense. April 1, 1969: 1969 Wisconsin spring election: Voters ratified two amendments to the state constitution: Allowing the legislature to establish the office of county executive for all counties (it had previously been restricted to Milwaukee County). Allowing the state to take on debt directly and end the practice of utilizing dummy corporations. July 20, 1969: As part of the Apollo 11 mission, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon. October 29, 1969: The first message was sent over ARPANET, the forerunner of the internet. March 31, 1970: The Seattle Pilots professional baseball team was sold to a new ownership group led by Bud Selig, who immediately moved the franchise to Milwaukee and renamed them the Milwaukee Brewers. April 17, 1970: The Apollo 13 crew returned safely to Earth after suffering a catastrophic explosion on their spacecraft four days earlier. April 22, 1970: The first Earth Day was celebrated, organized by Wisconsin's junior United States senator, Gaylord Nelson. August 24, 1970: The Sterling Hall bombing on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus killed a physics professor and injured three others. November 3, 1970: 1970 United States general election: Patrick Lucey (D) elected Governor of Wisconsin. William Proxmire (D) re-elected United States senator from Wisconsin.
Major legislation
1969 Joint Resolution 2: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the legislature to establish the office of county executive for all Wisconsin counties. This amendment was ratified by voters at the April 1969 election. 1969 Joint Resolution 3: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow the state to take on debt without utilizing a shell corporation. This amendment was ratified by voters at the April 1969 election.
Party summary
Senate summary
Assembly summary
Sessions
Regular session: January 6, 1969January 4, 1971
September 1969 special session: September 29, 1969January 17, 1970
December 1970 special session: December 22, 1970
Leaders
Senate leadership
President of the Senate: Jack B. Olson (R) President pro tempore: Robert P. Knowles (R–New Richmond) Majority leader: Ernest Keppler (R–Sheboygan) Minority leader: Fred Risser (D–Madison)
Assembly leadership
Speaker of the Assembly: Harold V. Froehlich (R–Appleton) Speaker pro tempore: Elmer C. Nitschke (R–Beaver Dam) Majority leader: Paul Alfonsi (R–Minocqua) Minority leader: Robert T. Huber (D–West Allis)
Members
Members of the Senate
Members of the Senate for the Seventy-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:
Members of the Assembly
Members of the Assembly for the Seventy-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature:
Committees
Senate committees
Senate Standing Committee on AgricultureW. Terry, chair
Senate Standing Committee on EducationH. Rasmusen, chair
Senate Standing Committee on Governmental and Veterans AffairsW. Draheim, chair
Senate Standing Committee on Health and Social ServicesA. Cirilli, chair
Senate Standing Committee on Interstate CooperationG. Lorge, chair
Senate Standing Committee on the JudiciaryA. Busby, chair
Senate Standing Committee on Labor, Taxation, Insurance, and BankingG. Lorge, chair Senate Standing Committee on Natural ResourcesC. Krueger, chair Senate Standing Committee on TransportationR. La Fave, chair Senate Special Committee on CommitteesG. Lorge, chair Senate Special Committee on Legislative ProcedureR. P. Knowles, chair Senate Special Committee on Senate OrganizationE. Keppler, chair