The Senate was called to order by Senate President Roth.
The Senate stood for the prayer which was offered by Reverend Brian R. Episcopo from the Appleton Alliance Church.
The Colors were presented by the VFW Day Post 7591 Color Guard Unit of Madison, WI.
The Senate remained standing and Senator Risser led the Senate in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
The National Anthem was performed by the Appleton North High School Orchestra.
Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (6), the Chief Clerk made the following entries under the above date. _____________
State of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Elections Commission
December 5, 2018
The Honorable, the Senate:
I am pleased to provide you with a copy of the official canvass of the November 6, 2018 General Election vote for state senator along with the determination by the Chairperson of the Wisconsin Elections Commission of the winners.
With this letter, I am delivering the Certificates of Election and transmittal letters for the winners to you for distribution.
If the Wisconsin Elections Commission can provide you with further information or assistance, please contact our office.
Sincerely,
MEAGAN WOLFE
Interim Administrator
_____________
Statement of Canvass
for
State Senator
GENERAL ELECTION, November 6, 2018
I, Commissioner Dean Knudson, chairperson of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, certify that the attached tabular statements, as compiled from the certified returns made to the Wisconsin Elections Commission by the county clerks of the several counties of the state, contain a correct abstract of the total number of votes given for the election of candidates for State Senator, at a General Election held in the several towns, villages, cities, wards and election districts in said counties on the Eighth day of November 2018.
I DO, THEREFORE, DETERMINE AND CERTIFY that the following candidates, having each received the greatest number of votes in their respective senatorial districts, are duly elected State Senator:
Senate District Elected
1st District André Jacque
3rd District Tim Carpenter
5th District Dale Kooyenga
7th District Chris Larson
9th District Devin LeMahieu
11th District Steve Nass
13th District Scott Fitzgerald
15th District Janis Ringhand
17th District Howard Marklein
19th District Roger Roth
21st District Van H. Wanggaard
23rd District Kathy Bernier
25th District Janet Bewley
27th District Jon B. Erpenbach
29th District Jerry Petrowski
31st District Jeff Smith
33rd District Chris Kapenga
Done in the City of Madison, this 3rd day of December, 2018.
DEAN KNUDSON
Commissioner, Chairperson
Wisconsin Elections Commission
_____________
With unanimous consent, the party leaders introduced their respective members as they came before the bar to be sworn in.
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Jacque
“Senator André Jacque was first elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in November 2018 after serving 4 terms as State Representative for the 2nd Assembly District in Brown and Manitowoc Counties.
Born in Beaver Dam in 1980, André moved to Northeast Wisconsin and graduated from Green Bay Southwest High School in 1999. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree and a graduate certificate from UW-Madison in 2003, and returned to Northeast Wisconsin, where he served in a variety of positions in local government including Grantwriter and Communications Director.
André serves on the boards of Green Bay Area Crimestoppers, Family & Childcare Resources of Northeast Wisconsin and the Golden House Domestic Violence Shelter Community Leadership Council, and has received the top legislative awards from the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association, Greater Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Wisconsin Family Council, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Wisconsin Towns Association, Wisconsin Counties Association, and the Wisconsin Independent Living Network among many others.
André and his wife Renée have five children and live in De Pere.”
Senator Shilling Introduced Senator Carpenter
“Senator Tim Carpenter represents the 3rd Senate District which covers the Southside of Milwaukee, West Milwaukee, and portions of West Allis and Greenfield. The district contains Miller Park, the Harley-Davidson Museum, St. Josaphat’s Basilica, the Mitchell Park Domes, Zablocki Veterans Hospital and also includes the Latino population of any senate district in the state.
Senator Carpenter is entering his fourth term having run unopposed for the past two elections to the State Senate and is a lifelong resident of his district. He graduated from the Milwaukee Public School system and earned a Bachelor’s degree from UW - Milwaukee in Political Science & History and a Master's degree from UW-Madison’s La Follette School of Public Administration and Public Policy.
Senator Carpenter was first elected to the State Assembly in 1984 where he served nine terms. Counting years served in both the Assembly and Senate, Senator Carpenter is now the 3rd longest serving Wisconsin State Legislator in the Senate with 34 years, following Senator Rob Cowles – who was first elected to the Assembly in 1982 – and Senator Fred Risser – who was first elected to the Assembly in 1956. Senator Carpenter wants to thank Senator Risser for 62 years of public service and for his mentorship.
Senator Carpenter serves as ranking Democratic member of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs and returns as a member of the Committee on Health and Human Services, a committee which he previously chaired.. Senator Carpenter has enjoyed working in a bipartisan manner with committee chair, Sen. Petrowski, on the Transportation and Veterans Affair committee. He’s also once again a member of the WEDC Board of Directors and looks forward to making sure Wisconsin tax dollars are wisely spent.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Kooyenga
“Dale was born in Oak Lawn, Illinois. He is a Certified Public Account (CPA) who received his B.A. from Lakeland College and his M.B.A from Marquette University. In 2005, Dale enlisted in the United States Army alongside his two brothers and was later called up to service in Iraq. He was awarded a Bronze Star for his service. Dale remains a member of the United States Army Reserve where he serves as a Major. Dale served in the State Assembly from 2011-2019. In 2018, Dale ran for the State Senate and was elected to represent the 5th Senate District. Dale lives in Brookfield with his wife Jennifer and their four children.”
Senator Shilling Introduced Senator Larson
“Senator Chris Larson represents the 7th Senate District which includes communities on the eastern edge of Milwaukee County. This is an area that embodies Wisconsin’s greatest values and traditions, including: higher education with UW-Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and the Milwaukee School of Engineering; commerce and economic development with our state’s premier airport, the Port of Milwaukee, and Downtown Milwaukee; artistic expression with the Milwaukee Art Museum; natural resources with the county park system near Lake Michigan; and cultural diversity with ethnic festivals at the Summerfest Grounds.
Senator Larson won his 3rd term to the State Senate this past November. In his first eight years of service, Senator Larson focused on strengthening and increasing access to quality public education across Wisconsin.
Previously, Senator Larson served as a County Supervisor with the Milwaukee County Board. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a degree in Finance. Senator Larson has experience as a business manager for a local running store and is a dedicated marathon runner. He has run 37 marathons in 23 states on his way to the goal of running a marathon in each state. He has lived in Milwaukee County all of his life and resides with his wife and two children in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator LeMahieu
“Senator Devin LeMahieu was first elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2014. He will Chair the Senate Committee on Utilities and Housing and will be serving his first term as a Member of the Joint Committee on Finance.
Born and raised in the Village of Oostburg, Devin graduated Sheboygan County Christian High School in 1991. He earned degrees in Business Administration and Political Science from Dordt College in 1995.
Since 2002, Devin has been the owner and operator of the Lakeshore Weekly, a shopper and print shop serving southeast Sheboygan County.
In 2005, Devin was elected to his first term on the Sheboygan County Board. He served as a County Board Supervisor for nine years.
In his free time, Devin trains for endurance sports. He is a six-time Ironman, conquering the courses in Madison, Panama City and Houston.
Devin resides in Oostburg where he continues to serve his community as a member of the Oostburg Chamber of Commerce and member of Bethel Orthodox Presbyterian Church.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Nass
“Senator Steve Nass was first elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2014 and will be serving his second term. Prior to joining the Senate, he had a long career in the Assembly where he served from 1991 to 2014. A Whitewater native and veteran of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, Senator Nass served in the Middle East in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Senator Nass has won a reputation for his work on higher education issues and legislative oversight and will continue those efforts in the new term.
He will serve as Chair of the Committee on Labor and Government Reform, Co-chair of the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules, and Vice Chair of the Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges.
Senator Nass would like to welcome his daughter Ashleigh and her husband Steve Nordin, as well as Sheila Reiff, Clerk of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and he is also joined by several other constituents in attendance today.”
Senator Shilling Introduced Senator Ringhand
“Senator Janis Ringhand is a lifelong resident of Rock County and represents the 15th Senate District which includes parts of Rock, Green, Dane, Walworth and Jefferson Counties. Senator Ringhand is entering her second term in the Wisconsin State Senate and previously served two terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Prior to that, she was the Mayor of Evansville and an Alderwoman.
Senator Ringhand is a successful entrepreneur and owns a business where she makes and sells her own homemade beer mustard. In addition, she helped run the family business, Ringhand Meat and Beverage in Evansville, for over 17 years prior to focusing on a career in public service. Having earned her degree in Finance from Madison Area Technical College, returning to school after raising her two children, she also has several years of experience in small business accounting.
Senator Ringhand is the Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus and will be serving on the Wisconsin State Building Commission; the Committee on Economic Development, Commerce and Trade; the Committee on Agriculture, Revenue, and Financial Institutions; and the Committee on Labor and Regulatory Reform in the upcoming legislative session. She looks forward to being the voice of the residents of the 15th Senate District in the State Senate and focusing on workforce training, education and economic development issues to help create a Wisconsin that works for everyone.
Joining Senator Ringhand today are her daughter, Shawn Dunphy, her grandchildren Haley and Jayden Dunphy, Makenna and Logan Ringhand, her great granddaughter Finley Dunphy and family friend Lindsey Oberdorf.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Marklein
“Senator Howard Marklein was raised on a dairy farm in rural Spring Green and is the oldest of five children. He graduated from River Valley High School in Spring Green in 1972 and from UW-Whitewater in 1976 with a BBA in accounting. After graduation from college, Howard worked for First Wisconsin National Bank of Milwaukee (now US Bank) and in 1978, he was recruited by Virchow Krause (now Baker Tilly) and began his public accounting career in the Dodgeville office.
Howard accepted a promotion and transfer to the Whitewater and Fort Atkinson offices of Virchow Krause in 1980. He was promoted to partner in the firm in 1984. In recent years, his practice focused on the forensic accounting area and white collar crime investigations. He is also credentialed as a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
Howard was first elected to the State Assembly in 2010. He was then elected to the State Senate in 2014. Howard is proud to represent the 17th Senate District and his home community of Spring Green where he lives less than a mile from the dairy farm where he grew up.
Howard is married to Peggy, a registered nurse and is the father of Nicole and William, as well as three stepchildren and four grandchildren.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Roth
“Senator Roth was born in Appleton, February 5, 1978 and is a graduate of St. Mary Central High School (Menasha, 1996). He later attended UW-Oshkosh where he graduated with a B.S. in history in 2001.
He was elected to Assembly in 2006-08; elected to Senate in 2014, 2018; became Senate President in 2017 and was unanimously re-elected as Senate President for the 2019-2020 legislative session.
