One-Hundred and Second Regular Session
2:09 P.M. MONDAY, January 5, 2015
The Senate met.
The Senate was called to order by Senator Lazich.
The Senate stood for the prayer which was offered by Most Reverend Jerome Listecki, Archbishop of Milwaukee.
The Colors were presented by the VFW Day Post 7591 Color Guard Unit of Madison, WI.
The National Anthem was performed by the Eisenhower School’s “7th Position” String Ensemble of New Berlin.
The Senate remained standing and Senator Wanggaard led the Senate in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
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State of Wisconsin
Government Accountability Board
December 11, 2014
The Honorable, the Senate:
I am pleased to provide you with a copy of the official canvass of the November 4, 2014 General Election vote for state senator along with the determination by the designee of the Chairperson of the Government Accountability Board 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 Government Accountability Board can provide you with further information or assistance, please contact our office.
Sincerely,
KEVIN J. KENNEDY
Director and General Counsel
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Statement of Canvass
for
State Senator
GENERAL ELECTION, November 4, 2014
I, Judge Thomas H. Barland, Chairperson of the Government Accountability Board, certify that the attached tabular statements, as compiled from the certified returns made to the Government Accountability Board 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 Fourth day of November, 2014.
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 Frank Lasee
3rd District Tim Carpenter
5th District Leah Vukmir
7th District Chris J. Larson
9th District Devin LeMahieu
11th District Steve Nass
13th District Scott L. Fitzgerald
15th District Janis Ringhand
17th District Howard Marklein
19th District Roger Roth
21st District Van Wanggaard
23rd District Terry Moulton
25th District Janet Bewley
27th District Jon B. Erpenbach
29th District Jerry Petrowski
31st District Kathleen Vinehout
33rd District Paul Farrow
Done in the City of Eau Claire, this 1st day of December, 2014.
JUDGE THOMAS H. BARLAND
Chairperson
Government Accountability Board
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With unanimous consent, the party leaders introduced their respective members as they came before the bar to be sworn in.
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Lasee
“Senator Frank Lasee has represented the people of the 1st Senate District since 2011. Prior to his election to the senate in 2010, Senator Lasee served in the Assembly from 1995 to 2009, representing the 2nd Assembly District.
While in the Assembly, Senator Lasee earned a reputation as a Taxpayer Watch Dog and an outspoken fiscal conservative. He has continued that legacy in the Senate as the author and champion of numerous taxpayer protection proposals.
This session, Senator Lasee will chair the Committee on Insurance, Housing & Trade and serve as Vice Chair of the Committee on Natural Resources & Energy.
In the audience today is Frank’s wife, Amy Joy.”
Senator Shilling Introduced Senator Carpenter
“Senator Tim Carpenter represents the Third Senate District which covers the Southside of Milwaukee, West Milwaukee, and portions of West Allis and Greenfield.
Senator Carpenter is entering his fourth term in the State Senate. Tim is a lifelong resident of his district. He graduated from the Milwaukee Public School system. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from UW - Milwaukee in Political Science & History and a Master's degree from the La Follette School of Public Administration and Public Policy.
Tim was first elected to the State Assembly in 1984 where he served nine terms. Counting years served in both the Assembly and Senate, Tim is now the 3rd longest serving Wisconsin State Legislator in the Senate, following Sen. Rob Cowles – who was first elected to the Assembly in 1982 – and Sen. Fred Risser – who was first elected to the Assembly in 1956. Tim wants to thank Sen. Risser for 58 years of public service.
Tim serves as ranking Democratic member of both the Senate Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs Senate and the Committee on Health and Human Services. Tim has enjoyed previously working on bipartisan legislation with the chairs of both committees, Sen. Jerry Petrowski and Sen. Leah Vukmir, respectively, and looks forward to productive committees this year as well.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Vukmir
“This will be Senator Leah Vukmir’s second term representing Wisconsin’s 5th Senate District. A lifelong district resident, she previously served in the Assembly from 2003 to 2011.
Before her election to the Assembly, Senator Vukmir worked as a Registered Nurse and Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She brought her medical expertise and long record as a champion for children’s health to the legislature, where she has been a leader in healthcare and education policy.
This session, Senator Vukmir will continue her work on healthcare issues as Chair of the Committee on Health and Human Services. She will also have the honor of joining the Joint Committee on Finance and will serve as Vice Chair of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.
Senator Vukmir would like to recognize her two children who are unable to be in attendance today: Elena who lives and works in New York City, and Nicholas who was just commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army—stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia.”
Senator Shilling Introduced Senator Larson
“Senator Chris Larson represents the Seventh 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 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 first re-election campaign to the State Senate this past November. In his first four years in the Senate, Senator Larson focused on strengthening public education and public transit, and supporting increased access to healthcare for all of Wisconsin’s citizens. Senator Larson also had the honor and privilege to serve as the Senate Democratic Leader in the 2013-14 Session.
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 25 marathons and his goal is to run a marathon in each state across America. He has lived in Milwaukee County all of his life and resides with his wife and two children in the Bay View neighborhood.
Joining Senator Larson today is his wife Jessica, his two year old son Atticus James Larson, and one month old daughter Stella Louisa Larson.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator LeMahieu
“Senator-elect Devin LeMahieu joins the legislature for the first time this session, representing the 9th Senate District. An Oostburg native and small business owner, Senator-elect LeMahieu has a long record of serving his community as a member of the Sheboygan County Board, Oostburg Chamber of Commerce, Oostburg Kiwanis Club, and more.
He brings his local government experience to the Senate this session as Chair of the Committee on Elections & Local Government, as well as Co-chair of the Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions.
In attendance today are Senator-elect LeMahieu’s mother, Rosemary, and father, State Representative Dan LeMahieu, who has served 12 years in the state assembly—including as a member of Joint Finance. Over 20 family members are present today, including his sister’s family from Holland Michigan: Jim and Rebecca Peterson, Wendy, Lydia, Asha, and Kai.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Nass
“Senator-elect Steve Nass joins the senate this year after a long career in the Assembly, where he served from 1991 to 2015. A Whitewater Native and veteran of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, Senator-elect Nass served in the Middle East in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
In the assembly, Senator-elect Nass won a reputation for his work on higher education issues as Chair of the Committee on Colleges and Universities.
He brings his long record of leadership to the Senate this session, where 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, the Walworth County Clerk of Circuit Courts and future wife of Senator Nass.
The next two gentlemen joining Senator Nass today served with him in the 128th Air Refueling Wing during wartime and peacetime: Master Sergeant Dan Lewis and his wife Alice, and Senior Master Sergeant Ross Otto. Due to health issues, Korean War combat veteran Robert Gertsch was unable to attend. Master Sergeant Lewis, Senior Master Sergeant Otto, Sergeant Gertsch, and Chief Master Sergeant and Senator Nass --- thank you for your service to our nation and the great state of Wisconsin.
Also joining Senator Nass are guests from Jefferson County -Jim Schildbach and his wife Ellen, and Lee Pitzner and his wife Dianna.”
Senator Shilling Introduced Senator Ringhand
“Senator Janis Ringhand represents the 15th Senate District which includes parts of Green, Dane, Rock, Walworth and Jefferson Counties. Senator Ringhand is entering her first term in the Wisconsin State Senate and previously served two terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Prior to that, she served as Evansville Mayor and Alderwoman.
In addition to owning her own business of making and selling her homemade beer mustard, for just over 17 years, she helped run the family small business, Ringhand Meat and Beverage in Evansville. 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.
A champion for workforce training, education and economic development in the State Assembly, Senator Ringhand looks forward to continuing to work on these interwoven issues in the coming session here in the Senate. She will be serving on the Wisconsin State Building Commission, the Committee on Economic Development and Commerce and the Committee on Revenue, Financial Institutions and Rural Issues.
Joining Senator Ringhand today is her husband Gordon Ringhand, her daughter, Shawn Dunphy, and son, Dan Ringhand. Her grandchildren Haley and Jayden Dunphy, Makenna Ringhand are here in addition to Sen. Ringhand’s sister Anne Oestreich.”
Senator Fitzgerald Introduced Senator Marklein
“Senator-elect Marklein joins the Senate after having served in the Assembly from 2011 to 2015.
