Wisconsin Senate

The Wisconsin Senate is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Together with the larger Wisconsin State Assembly they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin. The powers of the Wisconsin Senate are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate.

Wisconsin Senate
Wisconsin State Legislature
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 4, 2021
Leadership
President
Chris Kapenga (R)
since January 4, 2021
President pro tempore
Patrick Testin (R)
since January 4, 2021
Majority Leader
Devin LeMahieu (R)
since January 4, 2021
Minority Leader
Janet Bewley (D)
since April 24, 2020
Structure
Seats33
Political groups
Majority
  •   Republican (21)

Minority

  •   Democratic (12)
Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle IV, Wisconsin Constitution
Salary$50,950/year + $153 per diem
Elections
Last election
November 6, 2018
(17 seats)
Last election
November 3, 2020
(16 seats)
Next election
November 8, 2022
(17 seats)
Next election
November 5, 2024
(16 seats)
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin
Website
Wisconsin State Senate
The Senate chamber seen from the gallery

The Wisconsin Constitution ties the size of the State Senate to that of the Assembly, by limiting its size to no less than 1/4, nor more than 1/3, of the size of the Assembly. Currently, Wisconsin is divided into 33 Senate Districts (1/3 of the current Assembly membership of 99) apportioned throughout the state based on population as determined by the decennial census, for a total of 33 senators. A Senate district is formed by combining three Assembly districts. Similar to the U.S. Senate, in addition to its duty of reviewing and voting on all legislation passed through the legislature, the State Senate has the exclusive responsibility of confirming certain gubernatorial appointments, particularly cabinet secretaries (as part of the system of checks and balances) and members of boards and commissions. Senators are elected for four-year terms, staggered so that approximately half of the Senate is up for election every two years. If a vacancy occurs in a Senate seat between elections, it may be filled only by a special election. The Senate chamber is in the south wing of the Wisconsin State Capitol, in Madison.

Salary and benefits

The salary for legislators serving in the 2017 Wisconsin Legislature - $50,950 - is unchanged from the previous session. The salary for legislators serving in the 2015 session was increased by 2 percent from the $49,943 rate that had been in effect for the previous three bienniums. Before that increase, the most recent increase was an increase of 5 per-cent from the 2007 session to the 2009 session. The Speaker of the Assembly receives an additional stipend, which is currently $25 per month.[1]

In addition to their salaries, senators outside Dane County may receive a per diem up to $88 to cover living expenses while they are in Dane County on state business. Members of the Madison delegation may receive a per diem up to $44 to cover expenses. Each senator also receives $75 per month in "out-of-session" pay when the Legislature is in session for three days or less. Over two years, each senator is allotted $66,008 to cover general office expenses, printing, postage and district mailings.

Current session

Composition
12 21
Democratic Republican
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
Begin 100th Legislature (2011) 14 19 33 0
End 100th (2012) 17 16
Begin 101st (2013) 15 18 33 0
End 101st (2014) 17 32 1
Begin 102nd (2015) 14 18 32 1
End 102nd (2016) 18 32 1
Begin 103rd (2017) 13 20 33 0
End 103rd (2018) 15 18 33 0
Begin 104th (2019) 14 19 33 0
End 104th (2020) 13 18 31 2
Begin 105th (2021) 12 20 32 1
From April 28, 2021 21 33 0
Latest voting share 36.36% 63.64%

Senate officers
Position Name
President of the Senate Chris Kapenga
President Pro Tempore of the Senate Patrick Testin
Majority leader Devin LeMahieu
Assistant Majority Leader Dan Feyen
Majority Caucus Chair Van Wanggaard
Majority Caucus Vice Chair Kathy Bernier
Minority Leader Janet Bewley
Assistant Minority Leader Janis Ringhand
Minority Caucus Chair Jeff Smith
Minority Caucus Vice Chair Melissa Agard
Chief Clerk Michael Queensland
Sergeant-at-Arms Thomas J. Engels

Members
District Senator Party Residence Current age First elected Next election
01 André Jacque Rep Bellevue 42 2018 2022
02 Robert Cowles Rep Green Bay 72 1987 2024
03 Tim Carpenter Dem Milwaukee 62 2002 2022
04 Lena Taylor Dem Milwaukee 56 2004 2024
05 Dale P. Kooyenga Rep Brookfield 43 2018 2022
06 La Tonya Johnson Dem Milwaukee 50 2016 2024
07 Chris Larson Dem Milwaukee 42 2010 2022
08 Alberta Darling Rep River Hills 78 1992 2024
09 Devin LeMahieu Rep Sheboygan 50 2014 2022
10 Rob Stafsholt Rep New Richmond 46 2020 2024
11 Stephen Nass Rep Whitewater 70 2014 2022
12 Mary Felzkowski Rep Irma 59 2020 2024
13 John Jagler Rep Watertown 52 2021 2022
14 Joan Ballweg Rep Markesan 70 2020 2024
15 Janis Ringhand Dem Evansville 72 2014 2022
16 Melissa Agard Dem Monona 53 2020 2024
17 Howard Marklein Rep Spring Green 68 2014 2022
18 Dan Feyen Rep Fond du Lac 54 2016 2024
19 Roger Roth Rep Appleton 44 2014 2022
20 Duey Stroebel Rep Saukville 63 2015 2024
21 Van H. Wanggaard Rep Racine 70 2014 2022
22 Robert Wirch Dem Kenosha 78 1996 2024
23 Kathy Bernier Rep Chippewa Falls 66 2018 2022
24 Patrick Testin Rep Stevens Point 34 2016 2024
25 Janet Bewley Dem Ashland 70 2014 2022
26 Kelda Roys Dem Madison 43 2020 2024
27 Jon Erpenbach Dem West Point 61 1998 2022
28 Julian Bradley Rep Franklin 41 2020 2024
29 Jerry Petrowski Rep Marathon 72 2012 2022
30 Eric Wimberger Rep De Pere 43 2020 2024
31 Jeff Smith Dem Eau Claire 67 2018 2022
32 Brad Pfaff Dem Onalaska 54 2020 2024
33 Chris Kapenga Rep Delafield 50 2015 2022

Past notable members
  • Angus Cameron (1863–1864; 1871–1872), former U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (1875–1885)
  • Gaylord Nelson (1949–1958), former Governor of Wisconsin (1959–1963) and U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (1963–1981)
  • Henry Maier (1951–1960), former Mayor of Milwaukee (1960–1988)
  • James B. Brennan (1959–1962), former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin (1962–1969) and Milwaukee City Attorney (1972–1984)
  • William Bablitch (1972–1983), former Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (1983–2003)
  • Tom Petri (1973–1979), former U.S. House Representative (1979–2015)
  • Jim Sensenbrenner (1975–1979), former U.S. House Representative (1979–2021)
  • Russ Feingold (1983–1993), former U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (1993–2011)
  • John Norquist (1983–1988), former Mayor of Milwaukee (1988–2004)
  • Tom Barrett (1989–1993), former U.S. House Representative (1993–2003) and former Mayor of Milwaukee (2004–2021)
  • Gwen Moore (1993–2005), current U.S. House Representative (2005–present)
  • Glenn Grothman (2005–2015), current U.S. House Representative (2015–present)
  • Tom Tiffany (2012–2020), current U.S. House Representative (2020–present)
  • Scott Fitzgerald (1995–2021), current U.S. House Representative (2021–present)

Past composition of the Senate

See also
  • Wisconsin Legislature
  • Wisconsin State Assembly

References
  1. Salaries of elected officials effective January 2017 LRB REPORTS FEBRUARY 2017, VOL. 1, NO. 2

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