70th Wisconsin Legislature

The Seventieth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 10, 1951, to June 14, 1951, 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 7, 1950. 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 2, 1948.

The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Walter J. Kohler Jr., of Sheboygan County, serving a two-year term, having won election in the 1950 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

• January 1, 1951: Inauguration of Walter J. Kohler Jr. as the 33rd Governor of Wisconsin.

• February 27, 1951: The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution came into force, establishing the two term limit for U.S. presidents.

• April 3, 1951: Wisconsin voters ratified two amendments to the state constitution:

  • Repealing the prohibition on taxing federal lands.
  • Setting an 8% combined municipal debt limit for city and school purposes.

• April 11, 1951: Amidst disagreements over strategy in the Korean War, U.S. president Harry Truman relieved General Douglas MacArthur from command.

• May 8, 1951: The first thermonuclear weapon was tested by the United States at Enewetak Atoll.

• July 28, 1951: The Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees was signed.

• August 13, 1951: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Henry P. Hughes resigned.

• September 1, 1951:

  • Wisconsin Governor Walter J. Kohler appointed George R. Currie to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to succeed Henry P. Hughes.
  • The United States, Australia, and New Zealand signed the ANZUS mutual defense pact.

• September 8, 1951: The United States and Japan signed the Security Treaty between the United States and Japan, allowing for a continuation of United States military forces basing in Japan.

• February 6, 1952: King George VI of the United Kingdom died and was immediately succeeded by his daughter, who was later crowned as Queen Elizabeth II.

• November 4, 1952: 1952 United States general election:

  • Dwight D. Eisenhower elected President of the United States.
  • Walter J. Kohler Jr. re-elected Governor of Wisconsin.
  • Joseph McCarthy re-elected United States senator from Wisconsin.
  • Wisconsin voters rejected a non-binding referendum on changes to constitutional guidelines for redistricting. Holding the referendum was part of a compromise which enabled the passage of the Rosenberry redistricting plan.

• April 12, 1951: An Act ... relating to the inclusion of public employes under the Federal Old Age and Survivors Insurance System, and making an appropriation, 1951 Act 60. Created the Wisconsin Public Employees Social Security Fund, and made Wisconsin the first state to allow some state and local employees to be covered by Social Security.

• July 10, 1951: An Act ... relating to civil defense, 1951 Act 443. Established the state office of civil defense.

• August 17, 1951: An Act ... relating to the apportionment of assemblymen and senators, 1951 Act 728. This was the first full legislative redistricting of Wisconsin since 1921. This plan was the product of a nonpartisan redistricting commission, popularly referred to as the "Rosenberry Commission" for its chairman, the former Wisconsin Supreme Court chief justice Marvin B. Rosenberry. Because of a compromise, implementation of the plan was delayed until the 1954 election to allow the consideration of a constitutional amendment which would have altered redistricting rules.

Senate partisan composition .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}  Democratic: 7 seats  Republican: 26 seats

Assembly partisan composition   Democratic: 23 seats  Republican: 76 seats  Vacant: 1 seat

• Regular session: January 10, 1951 – June 14, 1951

• President of the Senate: George M. Smith (R)

• President pro tempore: Frank E. Panzer (R–Oakfield)

• Majority leader: Warren P. Knowles (R–New Richmond)

• Minority leader: Gaylord Nelson (D–Madison)

• Speaker of the Assembly: Ora R. Rice (R–Delavan)

• Majority leader: Arthur O. Mockrud (R–Westby)

• Minority leader: George Molinaro (D–Kenosha)

Members of the Senate for the Seventieth Wisconsin Legislature:

Senate partisan representation   Democratic: 7 seats  Republican: 26 seats

Members of the Assembly for the Seventieth Wisconsin Legislature:

Assembly partisan composition   Democratic: 23 seats  Republican: 76 seats  Vacant: 1 seat

Milwaukee County districts

• Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Conservation – M. Olson, chair

• Senate Standing Committee on Committees – W. P. Knowles, chair

• Senate Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures – B. Gettelman, chair

• Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public Welfare – R. P. Robinson, chair

• Senate Standing Committee on Highways – J. Miller, chair

• Senate Standing Committee on the Judiciary – G. W. Buchen, chair

• Senate Standing Committee on Labor and Management – G. A. Bubolz, chair

• Senate Standing Committee on Legislative Procedure – F. E. Panzer, chair

• Senate Standing Committee on State and Local Government – R. Schlabach, chair

• Senate Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs – M. Laird, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture – J. T. Pritchard, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and Manufacturing – H. W. Brooks, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Conservation – R. S. Travis, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent Expenditures – E. C. Nitschke, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Education – W. W. Clark, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Elections – H. W. Timmer, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed Bills – T. S. Jones, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled Bills – R. A. Peabody, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and Fees – H. R. Abraham, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Highways – H. A. Harper, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Insurance and Banking – B. M. Engebretson, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on the Judiciary – A. O. Mockrud, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Labor – E. L. Genzmer, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Municipalities – P. A. Luedtke, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Printing – C. H. Sykes, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Public Welfare – H. Rasmusen, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Revision – C. A. Peterson, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Rules – B. M. Engebretson, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on State Affairs – B. J. Gehrmann, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Taxation – A. F. Betts, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Third Reading – C. E. Nelson, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Transportation – R. Bice, chair

• Assembly Standing Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs – R. H. Sengstock, chair

• Joint Standing Committee on Finance – F. B. Porter (Sen.) & A. R. Ludvigsen (Asm.), co-chairs

• Joint Standing Committee on Revisions, Repeals, and Uniform Laws – A. Busby (Sen.) & E. Grassman (Asm.), co-chairs

• Joint Special Committee on Reapportionment – R. P. Robinson (Sen.), chair

• Chief Clerk: Thomas M. Donahue

• Sergeant-at-Arms: Harold Damon

  • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: A. J. Oelmiller

• Chief Clerk: Arthur L. May

  • Assistant Chief Clerk: Robert H. Boyson

• Sergeant-at-Arms: Norris J. Kellman

  • Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: Earl J. Dalton

• 1951: Related Documents from Wisconsin Legislature