Senators Breske, Burke, Chvala, Clausing, Cowles, Darling, Decker, Drzewiecki, Ellis, Farrow, Fitzgerald, George, Grobschmidt, Huelsman, Jauch, A. Lasee, Lazich, Moen, Moore, Panzer, Plache, C. Potter, Risser, Roessler, Rosenzweig, Rude, Schultz, Shibilski, Weeden, Welch, Wineke, Wirch and Zien - 33.
Absent - None.
Absent with leave - None.
The Senate stood for a moment of silent mediation.
The Senate remained standing and Senator Rude led the Senate in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
__________________
The committee on Senate Organization reports and recommends:
Senate Resolution 4
Relating to: election of officers of the 1997-98 senate and rereferral of pending business.
Introduction.
Ayes, 5 - Senators
Ellis, Rude, Farrow, Chvala and Moen.
Noes, 0 - None.
Michael Ellis
Chairperson
Senate Resolution 4
Relating to: election of officers of the 1997-98 senate and rereferral of pending business.
Read.
Considered as privileged and taken up.
The question was: Shall Senate Resolution 4 be adopted?
The ayes and noes were required and the vote was: ayes, 32; noes, 1; absent or not voting, 0; as follows:
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Ayes - Senators Breske, Burke, Chvala, Clausing, Cowles, Darling, Decker, Drzewiecki, Ellis, Farrow, Fitzgerald, Grobschmidt, Huelsman, Jauch, A. Lasee, Lazich, Moen, Moore, Panzer, Plache, C. Potter, Risser, Roessler, Rosenzweig, Rude, Schultz, Shibilski, Weeden, Welch, Wineke, Wirch and Zien - 32.
Noes - Senator George - 1.
Absent or not voting - None.
Adopted.
The President, Brian D. Rude, the President Pro Tempore, Alan Lasee. Having been duly elected by the adoption of the Senate Resolution 4, appeared together before the bar of the Senate, took and subscribed the oath of office which was administered by Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Jon P. Wilcox.
Statement of Senator Brian Rude
Senate President
It is an honor and privilege to once again serve you as your Senate President.
I would like to publicly acknowledge and thank my good friend and predecessor, Senator Fred Risser, for his fair and even-handed role as President these past two years, and in particular for his defense and support of the Senate as an institution.
Fred Risser came to the Senate in 1962, when I was in the second grade. He became the first - and only Democrat - to serve as elected President of the Senate when the constitution was changed by the voters of this state in 1979.
Fred Risser, whose father, grandfather and great grandfather served in this Legislature, is truly an institution and a leader of the first class and I salute him for his good working relationship with me and other Senate Republican leaders, and for the courtesy and fairness he has shown in our transition.
The winds of change have once again swept through the Senate, reminding each of us how quickly fortunes in politics can change. I am reminded of Winston Churchill's observation that the only difference between war and politics is that in war you only die once.
I pledge to you and to the people of this state, as I did in 1993 when I first assumed this office, that I will attempt to conduct the business of the Senate with fairness, with great respect for the rules of this body, and with support for the traditions of a premier legislative body like the Wisconsin Senate.
The 33 of us serving here have two great distinctions: first; we each represent over 150,000 residents of this state who have duly selected us in an election process which has served the people well for 150 years. Second, we are among just under 1,000 of the people in the history of this state to have served in this body. I remind each of us of these important facts.
I was President when we left the State Capitol for our remodeling project. I am pleased I will be President when we return later this year. I think we all would agree that this temporary chamber does not inspire the same sense of majesty and importance as that of our historic Capitol home. All of us have been frustrated by how noisy and unofficial this place has been...during this special and extraordinary session, I will attempt to maintain what dignity and order we can. I am excited, however, about our return to the Capitol. One of this things we need to plan this year is our own observation of the Sesquicentennial...the Assembly began the year of 1998 with their own celebration in Belmont. We will end the year with our own celebration as we return to the Capitol, and any ideas you have to make this observance appropriate would be appreciated.
Three years ago, I cited three personal mentors who had helped me the most in my Senate career: former Senators Ray Bice, Walter John Chilsen and Dan Theno. Senator Bice is no longer with us...he passed away just a few short years ago at the age of 97. At his funeral, I read a statement about politics from Plutarch, a Greek biographer who lived at the time of Christ. It is a fitting message for each of us, and I have asked our messengers to distribute copies. It reads:
"Politics is not a public chore
to be gotten over with.
It is a way of life.
It is the life of a domesticated
political and social creature who
is born with a love for public life,
with a desire for honor,
with a feeling for his fellow,
and it lasts as long as need be.
It is not simply office-holding,
not just keeping your place,
not just raising your voice
from the floor,
not just ranting on the rostrum
with speeches and motions.
All the time,
in everything you do,
whatever you are doing,
is the time for politics."
-Plutarch-
My personal wish for each of us today as we begin this new phase of our political journey, is that we will be proud to be politicians, serving our constituents, our Senate and our State with a desire for honor as our way of life.
Adams
, Helen R.,
of Rosholt, as a member of the Wisconsin Advanced Telecommuncations Foundation, to serve for the interim term ending May 1, 1999.
Withdrawn from committee on Information Policy and referred to committee on Information Policy pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Adamski, Paul C.,
of Stevens Point, as a member of the Savings Bank Review Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2001.
Withdrawn from committee on Labor, Transportation and Financial Institutions and referred to committee on Education and Financial Institutions pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Arndt
, C. Charles,
of Eagle River, as a member of the Board on Aging and Long-Term Care, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2003.
Withdrawn from committee on Health, Human Services, Aging, Corrections, Veterans and Military Affairs and referred to committee on Health, Family Services and Aging pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Bahr
, June A.,
of Fond du Lac, as a member of the Board of Nursing, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2002.
Withdrawn from committee on Health, Human Services, Aging, Corrections, Veterans and Military Affairs and referred to committee on Business, Economic Development and Urban Affairs pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
S590
Beadle
, Brian L.,
of Amery, as a member of the Savings Bank Review Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2001.
Withdrawn from committee on Labor, Transportation and Financial Institutions and referred to committee on Education and Financial Institutions pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Bakker
, Doris L.,
of Neillsville, as a member of the Rural Health Development Council, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2003.
Withdrawn from committee on Health, Human Services, Aging, Corrections, Veterans and Military Affairs and referred to committee on Health, Family Services and Aging pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Bast
, Ronald R.,
of Richfield, as a member of the Auctioneer Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2002.
Withdrawn from committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations and referred to committee on Business, Economic Development and Urban Affairs pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Beaver
, Albert J.,
of Madison, as a member of the Wisconsin Advanced Telecommuncations Foundation, to serve for the interim term ending May 1, 1999.
Withdrawn from committee on Information Policy and referred to committee on Information Policy pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Benning, Cynthia A.,
of Fox Point, as a member of the Pharmacy Examining Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2002.
Withdrawn from committee on Health, Human Services, Aging, Corrections, Veterans and Military Affairs and referred to committee on Business, Economic Development and Urban Affairs pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Blanchard, James D.,
of Sun Prairie, as a member of the Wisconsin Advanced Telecommuncations Foundation, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2001.
Withdrawn from committee on Information Policy and referred to committee on Information Policy pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Borgwardt, Robert,
of Madison, as a member of the Ethics Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2002.
Withdrawn from committee on Judiciary, Campaign Finance Reform and Consumer Affairs and referred to committee on State Government Operations and Corrections pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Buestrin, Mary F.,
of Mequon, as a member of the State Historical Society Board of Curators, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2000.
Withdrawn from committee on Economic Development, Housing and Government Operations and referred to committee on Education and Financial Institutions pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Bugher
, Mark,
of Waunakee, as a member of the Wisconsin Advanced Telecommuncations Foundation, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2001.
Withdrawn from committee on Information Policy and referred to committee on Information Policy pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Carroll, Terrence W.,
of Neenah, as a member of the Recycling Market Development Board, to serve for the interim term ending May 1, 1999.
Withdrawn from committee on Agriculture and Environmental Resources and referred to committee on Business, Economic Development and Urban Affairs pursuant to Senate Resolution 4.
Chin
, Edward,
of Madison, as a member of the Wisconsin Advanced Telecommuncations Foundation, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2001.
