Our state constitution begins with the following preamble:
“We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings, form a more perfect government, insure domestic tranquility and promote the general welfare, do establish this constitution.” Before each inauguration day, I re-read the Wisconsin State Constitution. It’s only 17 pages long and takes about an hour to read. I would encourage all of you to do it sometime in the near future.
Every one of us comes from a different part of the state and comes with our own set of principles and beliefs but we all share the same constitution and all recited the same oath moments ago as we swore to defend and protect it. We must never forget that we are not here to satisfy our personal beliefs or passions; we are here to represent our constituents and their wishes, not our own.
While the constitution specifically provides guidance for the powers of each branch of government, it spends significantly more time on the legislative branch. The constitution addresses the legislature 34 times. Meanwhile, the governor is mentioned in 10 sections, and the attorney general, secretary of state and state treasurer in 1 section each. The Wisconsin constitution states, “the legislative power shall be vested in a senate and assembly”….We all know the Assembly should be listed first, but we’ll just have to give that one to our friends in the State Senate.
The constitution goes on to say, “The style of all laws of the state shall be the people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in the senate and assembly, do enact as follows: no law shall be enacted except by bill. No law shall be in force until published.”
The constitutional authors clearly gave preference to the legislative branch giving it powers to write the laws, allocate funds and create the means to generate revenue and assign duties to other constitutional officers.
Today ninety-nine men and women took the oath of office and became state representatives for the branch closest to the people. Each serves as the voice and advocate of 60,000 constituents in state government. It’s our job to listen and serve the citizens of Wisconsin when passing laws and approving a state budget. Once again the voters told us to work together.
So as we start our legislative work, I would like to offer a specific challenge to the legislators in this chamber and every elected official in this state Capitol. Before the heated rhetoric fires up and rigid ideologies become concrete, let’s reset and begin anew. Divided government means a lot more discussion, debate and yes, even arguing.
So if you come from the far left or the far right, please always remember in this institution, the middle 90% of the body is where things get done, not on the fringes. If you read any of our nation’s founding documents or even the documents from the founding of Wisconsin, you will almost always find that compromise has been and needs to be at the heart of our democracy. Compromise doesn’t mean giving up on your principles.
Instead of having a press conference to score a cheap political point, I invite you to reach out and discuss your idea first. My door has been and always will be open to every member of the assembly.
Let us not forget why we are here – to work together to solve problems and do what’s best for Wisconsin, not our political careers. The political campaigns are over. We now need to govern without personal attacks or name-calling. We can bring back civility in politics at least here in Wisconsin. We can lead the nation, proving that we can disagree without despising our neighbor. We must all strive to lead by example to show this ideal can become a reality. Let’s do better. We can start in this chamber today.
Every session since I became speaker, we’ve had more than 90 percent of bills receive bipartisan support. Bipartisanship isn’t new to most of us and this session should be no different. I promise you over the next two years, we can and we will make real reforms.
There are three legislative priorities I want to focus on today that we hope can reach a bipartisan consensus. The first is learning loss. We now see that two out of three children since 2019 are doing worse in school and aren’t proficient in math or reading for their grade level. We must address this. We also know that with the massive amount of federal resources spent over the past two years, the simple answer isn’t more money. There must be real reform and accountability to help deal with this education crisis.
Next are the demographic challenges that we see in Wisconsin. Our state has experienced almost no net population growth and is aging faster than the national average. We need to do more to keep our friends and family in Wisconsin and attract new folks to live here. When I look at our tax climate, I see that all around us are flat taxes – in Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, a Republican state, a Democrat state, and a newly turned Democrat state. Having a discussion about our tax burden can help with our demographic challenges. And just to be clear, it's not about rewarding the wealthy, even though there's nothing wrong with that. It's about saying that if you have a retired couple, and they decide where they're going to spend six months and a day, it should be Wisconsin, not Florida, Texas, Arizona, or Tennessee, all places that are currently significantly less expensive to retire. And since we can’t fix our weather, we must and should fix our uncompetitive tax climate.
The third priority is stimulating innovation. For our entire history, Wisconsin has been the invention capital of the United States. Everything from malted milk to garbage disposals were invented right here in Wisconsin. We've been less innovative in government, and we need to change that. Rather than doing everything the way that we did 20 and 30 years ago, and just adding more to the top of the pile, I would love for us to use our budget and our opportunity to legislate, to focus on innovating and be a place where new ideas thrive.
I invite every legislator to be part of these important innovations and as always, the majority is open to working with anybody who brings good ideas to the table in a sense of goodwill. And like every session while I’ve been speaker, I will invite the minority party leaders to sit down with us to draft a Memorandum of Understanding, to serve as a bipartisan guide for the legislative session as we set a path forward for Wisconsin.
Today, we celebrate the Badger State. Not as a Republican or a Democrat, but as Wisconsinites. You are the new members of the 106th Wisconsin State Assembly and it’s time to get things done, during divided government through real leadership. Let’s get to work.
God bless you and God Bless the state of Wisconsin.”
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Election of Speaker Pro Tempore
Representative Born nominated Representative Petersen for the position of Speaker Pro Tempore of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Sixth Regular Session of the Legislature.
There being no further nominations, the speaker declared nominations closed.
Representative August asked unanimous consent that a unanimous ballot be cast with all members of the Assembly recorded as voting for Representative Petersen for Speaker Pro Tempore of the Assembly. Granted.
For Representative Petersen – Representatives Allen, C. Anderson, J. Anderson, Andraca, Armstrong, August, Baldeh, Bare, Behnke, Billings, Binsfeld, Bodden, Born, Brandtjen, Brooks, Cabrera, Callahan, Clancy, Conley, Considine, Dallman, Dittrich, Donovan, Doyle, Drake, Duchow, Edming, Emerson, Goeben, Goyke, Green, Gundrum, Gustafson, Haywood, Hong, Hurd, Jacobson, Joers, S. Johnson, Katsma, Kitchens, Knodl, Krug, Kurtz, Macco, Madison, Magnafici, Maxey, McGuire, Michalski, Moore Omokunde, Moses, Murphy, Mursau, Myers, Nedweski, Neubauer, Neylon, Novak, O'Connor, Ohnstad, Oldenburg, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri, Penterman, Petersen, Petryk, Plumer, Pronschinske, Ratcliff, Rettinger, Riemer, Rodriguez, Rozar, Sapik, Schmidt, Schraa, Schutt, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Snyder, Sortwell, Spiros, Steffen, Stubbs, Subeck, Summerfield, Swearingen, Tittl, Tranel, Tusler, VanderMeer, Vining, Wichgers, Wittke, Zimmerman and Speaker Vos - 99.
Noes - None.
Representative Petersen was elected Speaker Pro Tempore of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Sixth Regular Session of the Legislature.
The oath of office was administered by Speaker Vos.
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Election of Chief Clerk
Representative Swearingen nominated Edward A. Blazel for the position of Chief Clerk of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Sixth Regular Session of the Legislature.
Representative Vining seconded the nomination of Edward A. Blazel for the position of Chief Clerk of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Sixth Regular Session of the Legislature.
There being no further nominations, the speaker declared nominations closed.
Representative August asked unanimous consent that a unanimous ballot be cast with all members of the Assembly recorded as voting for Edward A. Blazel for the position of Chief Clerk of the Assembly. Granted.
For Edward A. Blazel – Representatives Allen, C. Anderson, J. Anderson, Andraca, Armstrong, August, Baldeh, Bare, Behnke, Billings, Binsfeld, Bodden, Born, Brandtjen, Brooks, Cabrera, Callahan, Clancy, Conley, Considine, Dallman, Dittrich, Donovan, Doyle, Drake, Duchow, Edming, Emerson, Goeben, Goyke, Green, Gundrum, Gustafson, Haywood, Hong, Hurd, Jacobson, Joers, S. Johnson, Katsma, Kitchens, Knodl, Krug, Kurtz, Macco, Madison, Magnafici, Maxey, McGuire, Michalski, Moore Omokunde, Moses, Murphy, Mursau, Myers, Nedweski, Neubauer, Neylon, Novak, O'Connor, Ohnstad, Oldenburg, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri, Penterman, Petersen, Petryk, Plumer, Pronschinske, Ratcliff, Rettinger, Riemer, Rodriguez, Rozar, Sapik, Schmidt, Schraa, Schutt, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Snyder, Sortwell, Spiros, Steffen, Stubbs, Subeck, Summerfield, Swearingen, Tittl, Tranel, Tusler, VanderMeer, Vining, Wichgers, Wittke, Zimmerman and Speaker Vos - 99.
Noes - None.
Edward A. Blazel was elected Chief Clerk of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Sixth Regular Session of the Legislature.
The oath of office was administered by Speaker Vos.
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Election of Sergeant at Arms
Representative Petryk nominated Anne Tonnon Byers for the position of Sergeant at Arms of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Sixth Regular Session of the Legislature.
Representative Sinicki seconded the nomination of Anne Tonnon Byers for the position of Sergeant at Arms of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Sixth Regular Session of the Legislature.
There being no further nominations, the speaker declared nominations closed.
Representative August asked unanimous consent that a unanimous ballot be cast with all members of the Assembly recorded as voting for Anne Tonnon Byers as Sergeant at Arms of the Assembly. Granted.
For Anne Tonnon Byers – Representatives Allen, C. Anderson, J. Anderson, Andraca, Armstrong, August, Baldeh, Bare, Behnke, Billings, Binsfeld, Bodden, Born, Brandtjen, Brooks, Cabrera, Callahan, Clancy, Conley, Considine, Dallman, Dittrich, Donovan, Doyle, Drake, Duchow, Edming, Emerson, Goeben, Goyke, Green, Gundrum, Gustafson, Haywood, Hong, Hurd, Jacobson, Joers, S. Johnson, Katsma, Kitchens, Knodl, Krug, Kurtz, Macco, Madison, Magnafici, Maxey, McGuire, Michalski, Moore Omokunde, Moses, Murphy, Mursau, Myers, Nedweski, Neubauer, Neylon, Novak, O'Connor, Ohnstad, Oldenburg, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri, Penterman, Petersen, Petryk, Plumer, Pronschinske, Ratcliff, Rettinger, Riemer, Rodriguez, Rozar, Sapik, Schmidt, Schraa, Schutt, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Snyder, Sortwell, Spiros, Steffen, Stubbs, Subeck, Summerfield, Swearingen, Tittl, Tranel, Tusler, VanderMeer, Vining, Wichgers, Wittke, Zimmerman and Speaker Vos - 99.
Noes - None.
Anne Tonnon Byers was elected Sergeant at Arms of the Assembly for the One-Hundred and Sixth Regular Session of the Legislature.
The oath of office was administered by Speaker Vos.
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Special Guest
Speaker Vos introduced Governor Tommy G. Thompson, who addressed the members from the rostrum.
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Communications
November 11, 2022
Edward A. Blazel
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Blazel:
Pursuant to Assembly Rule 2 (3), the following officers have been duly elected by the Assembly Republican Caucus: Majority Leader: Tyler August
Assistant Majority Leader: Jon Plumer
Majority Caucus Chair: Rob Summerfield
Majority Caucus Vice-Chair: Cindi Duchow
Majority Caucus Secretary: Nancy VanderMeer
Majority Caucus Sergeant at Arms: Treig Pronschinske
Sincerely,
Rob summerfield
Republican Caucus Chair
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November 18, 2022
Edward A. Blazel
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Blazel:
Pursuant to Assembly Rule 2 (3), the following officers have been duly elected by the Assembly Democratic Caucus: Minority Leader: Greta Neubauer
Assistant Minority Leader: Kalan Haywood
Minority Caucus Chair: Lisa Subeck
Minority Caucus Vice-Chair: Jill Billings
Minority Caucus Secretary: Kristina Shelton
Minority Caucus Sergeant at Arms: Lee Snodgrass
Sincerely,
lisa subeck
Democratic Caucus Chair
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Seat Assignments
Pursuant to Assembly Rule 2 (4), for the 2023-2024 Legislative Session in the Assembly Chamber, democrat members will be seated on the east (door) side of the center aisle. Republican members will be seated in the seats on the west (window) side of the center aisle and in seats numbered 85, 86, 87, 88, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95. Speaker Vos will occupy seat number 4. Seat number 65 will remain vacant. Member Seat No.
Allen 53
Anderson, C. 58
Anderson, J. 89
Andraca 64
Armstrong 43
August 1
Baldeh 13
Bare 66
Behnke 87
Billings 7
