Agency overview | |
---|---|
Formed | October 1, 1901 |
Headquarters | 1 East Main St. Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. 43°4′25.676″N89°22′56.420″W / 43.07379889°N 89.38233889°W |
Employees | 60 (2021) [1] |
Annual budget | $12,440,600 (2021) [1] |
Agency executives |
|
Website | Official website |
The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) is a nonpartisan agency that provides legal advice, legislative drafting services, and public policy research and analysis to the Wisconsin Legislature, and reference services to the legislature, state agencies, and the public.
The LRB staff is responsible for nearly all drafting of legislation in Wisconsin, operating at the request of legislators and state agencies. [2] LRB staff also maintain and update the official Wisconsin statutes and the rules of the legislature. LRB publishes the biennial report of laws passed at each session of the legislature and the biennial report of the state government, the Wisconsin Blue Book . In addition, the LRB operates a legislative library, and provides research and library services to the general public.
The Wisconsin Legislature's Joint Committee on Legislative Organization acts as the governing body overseeing the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau and selects the director, who employs and oversees all bureau staff. The director is Richard A. Champagne. [1] [3]
The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau traces its origin to the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library, which was established by an act of the Legislature in 1901 (1901 Wisc. Act 168). The Legislative Reference Library was a first-of-its-kind Progressive Era innovation which sought to utilize the expertise of the University of Wisconsin and the resources of Wisconsin's state law library to improve the quality and consistency of the lawmaking process in the Legislature. The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library became a model for the Congressional Research Service, which opened in 1914. [4] [5]
The Library's duties were expanded over the years. They became responsible for bill drafting in 1907 (1907 Wisc. Act 508), and became responsible for compiling and publishing the Blue Book in 1929 (1929 Wisc. Act 194). The Legislative Reference Library was renamed to the Legislative Reference Bureau in 1963.
Initially under the supervision of the Free Library Commission, the 1963 law also placed the bureau under the supervision of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Legislative Organization. [4]
The secretary of state of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin, and is second in the line of succession to the office of governor of Wisconsin. Twenty-nine individuals have held the office of secretary of state, two of whom have held non-consecutive terms. The incumbent is Sarah Godlewski, who was appointed by Governor Tony Evers on March 17, 2023, to replace long-time Secretary of State Doug La Follette.
William Duncan Connor was a Canadian-born American politician and the 20th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin from 1907–1909.
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) is an agency of the Wisconsin state government responsible for the administration of all tax laws, as well as valuing property and overseeing the wholesale distribution of alcoholic beverages and enforcement of liquor laws. The Department also administers the state's unclaimed property program and the state lottery.
The state treasurer of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Thirty-six individuals have held the office since statehood. The incumbent is John Leiber, a Republican.
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WIDOC) is an administrative department in the executive branch of the state of Wisconsin responsible for corrections in Wisconsin, including state prisons and community supervision. The secretary is a cabinet member appointed by the governor of Wisconsin and confirmed by the Wisconsin Senate.
The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) is an agency of the Wisconsin state government responsible for providing services to assist children and families and to oversee county offices handling those services. This includes child protective services, adoption and foster care services, and juvenile justice services. It also manages the licensing and regulation of facilities involved in the foster care and day care systems, performs background investigations of child care providers, and investigates incidents of potential child abuse or neglect. It administers the Wisconsin Works (W-2) program, the child care subsidy program, child support enforcement and paternity establishment services, and programs related to the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) income support program.
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is an agency of the Wisconsin state government responsible for providing services to Wisconsin workers, employers, and job-seekers to meet Wisconsin's workforce needs. To effect its mission, the Department administers unemployment benefits and workers' compensation programs for the state of Wisconsin; ensures compliance with state laws on wages and discrimination; provides job resources, training, and employment assistance for job-seekers; and engages with employers to help them find and maintain adequate staffing for their businesses.
The 3rd Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in northeast Wisconsin, the district comprises nearly all of Calumet County, and parts of western Manitowoc County. It includes the cities of Brillion, Chilton, and New Holstein, and the parts of Appleton and Menasha which fall within Calumet County. It also contains the villages of Hilbert, Potter, Sherwood, Stockbridge, St. Nazianz, Valders, and Whitelaw. The district is represented by Republican Ron Tusler, since January 2017.
The 8th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in southeast Wisconsin, the district is entirely contained within Milwaukee County. It comprises part of the city of Milwaukee's near-south side, including the Walker's Point Historic District, the Historic Mitchell Street neighborhood, and most of Lincoln Village. The district also contains St. Adalbert's Church, the Basilica of St. Josaphat, and St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, the historic epicenter of Milwaukee's Polish American community. The district is represented by Democrat Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, since January 2021.
The 61st Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in southeastern Wisconsin, the district comprises part of southwest Milwaukee County, including the villages of Greendale and Hales Corners, most of the city of Greenfield, and parts of southwest Milwaukee and northeast Franklin. The district is represented by Republican Amanda Nedweski, since January 2023. After the 2024 redistricting, Nedweski no longer resides in the new 61st district.
The 64th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in southeast Wisconsin, the district comprises the northeast corner of Kenosha County, including all of the village of Somers and the northern half of the city of Kenosha. The district also contains the University of Wisconsin–Parkside campus, Carthage College, the Kenosha campus of Gateway Technical College, and Kenosha Regional Airport. The district is represented by Democrat Tip McGuire, since May 2019.
The 89th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in Northeastern Wisconsin, the district is entirely contained within central Brown County. It includes the village of Ashwaubenon and much of the west side of the city of Green Bay. The district contains Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers. The district is represented by Republican Elijah Behnke, since May 2021. After the 2024 redistricting, Behnke no longer resides in the new 89th district.
The 88th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in Northeastern Wisconsin, the district comprises parts of central Brown County. It includes the city of De Pere, the villages of Allouez and Bellevue, and a small part of the city of Green Bay. The district also contains landmarks such as St. Norbert College and the De Pere Lock and Dam Historic District. The district is represented by John Macco, since January 2015.
The 30th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in western Wisconsin, the district comprises parts of southwest St. Croix County and northwest Pierce County. It includes the cities of Hudson and River Falls, as well as the village of North Hudson. It also contains the University of Wisconsin–River Falls campus, Willow River State Park, and Kinnickinnic State Park. The district is represented by Republican Shannon Zimmerman, since January 2017.
The 47th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in southern Wisconsin, the district comprises southeastern suburban and exurban areas of Madison within southern Dane County, including the cities of Fitchburg and Stoughton, and part of the village of McFarland. The district also contains Lake Kegonsa State Park. The seat is represented by Democrat Jimmy P. Anderson since January 2017. Prior to the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturning the 2020 district boundaries, District 47 was often used as one of the more extreme examples of Gerrymandering in the Wisconsin Legislature with the boundaries being compared to "swiss cheese".
The 68th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in northwestern Wisconsin, the district comprises all of Price and Rusk counties, and most of Chippewa and Taylor counties. It includes the cities of Bloomer, Cornell, Ladysmith, Park Falls, and Phillips, and the villages of Bruce, Catawba, Conrath, Gilman, Glen Flora, Hawkins, Ingram, Kennan, Lublin, Prentice, Rib Lake, Sheldon, Tony, and Weyerhaeuser. The district also contains Lake Wissota State Park, Brunet Island State Park, and Timms Hill—the highest natural point in the state of Wisconsin. The district is represented by Republican Karen Hurd, since January 2023.
The 85th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in north-central Wisconsin, the district is entirely contained within Marathon County. It includes the city of Wausau and the village of Weston. The district is represented by Republican Patrick Snyder, since January 2017. After the 2024 redistricting, Snyder no longer resides in the new 85th district.
The 94th Assembly District of Wisconsin is one of 99 districts in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Located in western Wisconsin, the district comprises parts of northern La Crosse County and southeast Trempealeau County. It includes the cities of Galesville and Onalaska, and the villages of Ettrick, Holmen, and West Salem, along with part of the north side of the city of La Crosse. The district is represented by Democrat Steve Doyle, since May 2011.
The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) is an agency of the Wisconsin state government responsible for state regulation of financial institutions and educating the public about financial issues.
The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of Wisconsin is an independent agency of the Wisconsin state government responsible for supervising and regulating the insurance industry in Wisconsin. The office licenses insurers operating in the state, examines their financial and business practices, investigates consumer complaints, ensures compliance with state laws and regulations, and provides information on the insurance industry to the public.