2024 Wisconsin legislative session
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| 2024 Wisconsin legislative session |
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| General information |
| Scheduled session start: Jan. 16, 2024 Scheduled session end: March 14, 2024 |
| Leadership |
| Senate President Chris Kapenga (R) House Speaker |
| Elections |
| Next Election: November 5, 2024 Last Election: November 8, 2022 |
| Previous legislative sessions |
| 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 |
| Other 2024 legislative sessions |
In 2024, the Wisconsin State Legislature was scheduled to convene on January 16, 2024, and adjourn on March 14, 2024.
The legislators serving in this session took office following the 2022 elections. Republicans won a 22-11 majority in the Senate and a 64-35 majority in the House. Democrats controlled the governorship, creating a divided government. At the start of the 2024 session, Wisconsin was one of 21 state legislatures where neither party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.
Partisan control in 2024
- See also: State government trifectas
Wisconsin was one of 10 divided governments where neither party had a state government trifecta at the start of the 2024 legislative sessions. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governor's office, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House. For more information about state government trifectas, click here.
Wisconsin was also one of 21 state legislatures where neither party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers. Veto overrides occur when a legislature votes to reverse a veto issued by an executive such as a governor or the president. If one party has a majority in a state legislature that is large enough to override a gubernatorial veto without any votes from members of the minority party, it is called a veto-proof majority or, sometimes, a supermajority. To read more about veto-proof supermajorities in state legislatures, click here.
The following tables show the partisan breakdown of the Wisconsin State Legislature in the 2024 legislative session.
Wisconsin State Senate
| Party | As of January 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 10 | |
| Republican Party | 22 | |
| Vacancies | 1 | |
| Total | 33 | |
Wisconsin House of Representatives
| Party | As of January 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 35 | |
| Republican Party | 64 | |
| Total | 99 | |
Standing legislative committees
A standing committee of a state legislature is a committee that exists on a more-or-less permanent basis, from legislative session to session, that considers and refines legislative bills that fall under the committee's subject matter.
At the beginning of the 2024 legislative session, there were 87 standing committees in Wisconsin's state government, including 10 joint legislative committees, 32 state Senate committees, and 45 state House committees.
Joint legislative committees
- Employment Relations Committee
- Information Policy and Technology Committee
- Joint Finance Committee
- Joint Legislative Audit Committee
- Joint Legislative Council Committee
- Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties
- Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems
- Legislative Organization Committee
- Review of Administrative Rules Committee
- Tax Exemptions Committee
Senate committees
- Administrative Rules Committee
- Agriculture and Tourism Committee
- Committee on Economic Development and Technical Colleges
- Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage
- Committee on Housing, Rural Issues and Forestry
- Committee on Insurance and Small Business
- Committee on Labor, Regulatory Reform, Veterans and Military Affairs
- Committee on Licensing, Constitution, and Federalism
- Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children, and Families
- Committee on Universities and Revenue
- Committee on Utilities and Technology
- Economic and Workforce Development Committee
- Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics Committee
- Financial Institutions and Revenue Committee
- Government Operations, Legal Review and Consumer Protection Committee
- Government Operations, Technology, and Consumer Protection Committee
- Housing, Commerce and Trade Committee
- Human Services, Children and Families Committee
- Insurance, Licensing and Forestry Committee
- Judiciary and Public Safety Committee
- Labor and Regulatory Reform Committee
- Natural Resources and Energy Committee
- Senate Education Committee
- Senate Finance Committee
- Senate Health Committee
- Senate Organization Committee
- Sporting Heritage, Mining, and Forestry Committee
- Sporting Heritage, Small Business and Rural Issues Committee
- Transportation and Local Government Committee
- Universities and Technical Colleges Committee
- Utilities, Technology, and Telecommunications Committee
- Veterans and Military Affairs and Constitution and Federalism Committee
House committees
- Aging and Long-Term Care Committee
- Agriculture Committee
- Assembly Organization Committee
- Audit Committee
- Campaigns and Elections Committee
- Children and Families Committee
- Colleges and Universities Committee
- Constitution and Ethics Committee
- Consumer Protection Committee
- Corrections Committee
- Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee
- Education Committee
- Employment Relations Committee
- Energy and Utilities Committee
- Environment Committee
- Family Law Committee
- Finance Committee
- Financial Institutions Committee
- Forestry, Parks, and Outdoor Recreation Committee
- Government Accountability and Oversight Committee
- Health Committee
- Housing and Real Estate Committee
- Insurance Committee
- Jobs and the Economy Committee
- Judiciary Committee
- Labor Committee
- Labor and Integrated Employment Committee
- Local Government Committee
- Mental Health Committee
- Public Benefit Reform Committee
- Regulatory Licensing Reform Committee
- Review of Administrative Rules Committee
- Rules Committee
- Rural Development Committee
- Science and Technology Committee
- Science, Technology and Broadband Committee
- Small Business Development Committee
- Sporting Heritage Committee
- State Affairs Committee
- Substance Abuse and Prevention Committee
- Tourism Committee
- Transportation Committee
- Veterans and Military Affairs Committee
- Ways and Means Committee
- Workforce Development Committee
Legislation
Enacted legislation
The list below shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2024 legislative session that most recently passed both chambers of the legislature, were signed by the governor, or were approved by the legislature in a veto override. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation met these criteria in 2024. This information is provided by BillTrack50.
Election administration legislation
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job. Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments, translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language, and, because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan.
The table below lists 2024 election-related legislation in Wisconsin. The following information is included for each bill:
- Bill number
- Official name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized by bill number. The table displays up to 100 results by default. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, simply click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.
The methods by which the Wisconsin Constitution can be amended:
Article XII of the Wisconsin Constitution provides two methods of amendment:
- A legislatively referred constitutional amendment may be proposed to the voters if approved by a simple majority of both chambers of the Wisconsin State Legislature in two legislative sessions.
- If an amendment is approved by a majority in both chambers of the Legislature in one session, that proposed amendment must then be considered by the state legislature chosen at the next general election in the state.
- Before that second legislative session, the proposed amendment that will be considered must be published for three months prior to the election.
- Should the amendment be approved by a simple majority of the second session that considers it, the proposed amendment is then placed on a statewide ballot at a special or general election.
- If it is approved by a simple majority of the state's electorate, it becomes part of the constitution.
- Constitutional conventions can also be used to propose amendments to the state's constitution.
- If a simple majority of both houses of the Wisconsin State Legislature votes in favor, a constitutional convention question is placed on a statewide ballot.
- If the electors of the state agree by a simple majority to call a constitutional convention, then the legislature needs to convene a convention during its next session.
Wisconsin citizens do not have the power of amending the constitution through initiated constitutional amendments.
Historical partisan control
The table below depicts the historical trifecta status of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Party Control: 1992-2025
Two years of Democratic trifectas • Ten years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Historical Senate control
Between 1992 and 2022, partisan control of the Wisconsin State Senate fluctuated, swinging back and forth between the Democratic and Republican parties. The table below shows the partisan history of the Wisconsin State Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2022. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Wisconsin State Senate election results: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 11 |
| Republicans | 15 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 22 |
Control of the state Senate changed hands five times between 1992 and 2022. The chamber flipped in 1994, 1996, 2002, 2006, and 2010.
Republicans gained four seats in 2010 and took control of the chamber. The GOP maintained majorities in the chamber between 2010 and 2022.
Historical House control
Between 1992 and 2022, partisan control of the Wisconsin State Assembly shifted in favor of the Republican Party. The table below shows the partisan history of the Wisconsin State Assembly following every general election from 1992 to 2022. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Wisconsin State Assembly election results: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 52 | 48 | 47 | 44 | 43 | 41 | 39 | 47 | 52 | 38 | 39 | 36 | 35 | 36 | 38 | 35 |
| Republicans | 47 | 51 | 52 | 55 | 56 | 58 | 60 | 52 | 46 | 60 | 60 | 63 | 64 | 63 | 61 | 64 |
After the 1992 elections, Democrats held a 52-47 majority. Republicans gained four seats in 1994 and took control of the chamber. From 1994 to 2004, Republicans picked up another nine seats, resulting in a 60-39 majority following the 2004 elections. Democrats gained 13 seats between the 2006 and 2008 elections. The Democratic majority gained in 2008 lasted until after the 2010 elections. Republicans picked up 14 seats in that election, moving the chamber to a 60-38 majority. Following the 2022 elections, Republicans had a 64-35 majority.
See also
| Elections | Wisconsin State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics |
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External links
Footnotes
