The Fiftieth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 11, 1911, to July 15, 1911, in regular session, and re-convened in a special session from April 30, 1912, to May 6, 1912.[1] During this term, legislative business was largely held in the north wing of the Wisconsin State Capitol, which was the only part of the capitol to remain intact after the 1904 fire.[2]
This session was notable for the implementation of Wisconsin's first income tax—the first income tax in the United States.
This session was also the high water mark for the Social Democratic Party in Wisconsin, representing 12 of Milwaukee County's 16 districts in the Assembly, and 2 of Milwaukee County's 5 Senate districts.
Senators representing odd-numbered districts were newly elected for this session and were serving the first two years of a four-year term. Assembly members were elected to a two-year term. Assembly members and odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 8, 1910. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 3, 1908.[1]
January 21, 1911: The National Progressive Republican League was founded in the home of Wisconsin's senior United States senatorRobert M. La Follette, unofficially launching his campaign for the Republican nomination for President of the United States.
January 24, 1911: Robert M. La Follette was re-elected as United States Senator by the Wisconsin Legislature in joint session.
January 26, 1911: The United States and Canada announced their first reciprocal trade agreement.
October 14, 1912: John Flammang Schrank shot presidential candidate and former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt during a campaign event in Milwaukee. Roosevelt survived, but the bullet remained in his chest for the rest of his life.
Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to allow the Legislature to set judges' salaries and payment schedule.
Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to allow cities and counties to exceed their debt caps to purchase land for public improvements.
Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to allow municipalities to purchase land for public improvements.
Major legislation
March 2, 1911: An Act to provide for the nomination of judicial officers in the counties having a population of over one hundred thousand inhabitants by a non-partisan primary election, 1911 Act 4.
April 29, 1911: An Act to create sections 1408a to 1408d, inclusive, of the statutes, relating to the prevention and control of dangerous communicable diseases, 1911 Act 44. Gave additional powers and responsibilities to state and local public health officials.
May 3, 1911: An Act ... relating to the liability of employers for injuries or death sustained by their employees, providing for compensation for the accidental injury or death of employees, establishing an industrial accident board, defining its powers, providing for a review of its awards, and making an appropriation to carry out the provisions of this act, 1911 Act 50.
June 5, 1911: An Act to amend section 12 of the statutes, extending the right of suffrage to women, 1911 Act 227.
June 30, 1911: An Act ... creating an industrial commission, transferring to such commission the powers and duties of the commissioner of labor and the bureau of labor and industrial statistics, and superseding the industrial accident board created by chapter 50, of the laws of 1911, and granting such commission certain other powers, and providing for safe and hygienic conditions, and making an appropriation therefor ..., 1911 Act 485. Created the Wisconsin Industrial Commission.
July 13, 1911: An Act ... relating to taxation of incomes, and making an appropriation therefor, 1911 Act 658. Created Wisconsin's first income tax—the first income tax in the United States.
July 15, 1911: An Act to repeal sections 9, 10 and 11 of the statutes, and to create three new sections to be designated sections 9, 10 and 11 of the statutes, relating to re-apportionment of the state into senate, assembly and congressional districts, 1911 Act 661.
Joint Resolution to amend section 10, article VII, of the constitution, relating to the salary of judges, 1911 Joint Resolution 24. Second legislative passage of the proposed amendment to the state constitution to give the Legislature the power to set judicial salaries and pay schedules. This amendment was ratified by voters in the 1912 Fall election.
Joint Resolution memorializing Congress to take proper steps for the adoption of an amendment to the federal Constitution providing that such Constitution may hereafter be amended by the initiative, 1911 Joint Resolution 29. Called for a federal constitutional amendment to allow future amendments to be initiated by citizen petition.
Joint Resolution memorializing Congress to take proper steps toward a Constitutional amendment providing for initiative, referendum, and recall, 1911 Joint Resolution 30. Called for a federal constitutional amendment to allow legislation to be initiated by petition, and for federal officials to be recalled by petition.
Joint Resolution to amend article XI of the constitution, by adding thereto a new section to be known as section 3b, relating to the acquisition of land by municipalities, 1911 Joint Resolution 37. Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to expand powers of municipalities to purchase land, and delegating to the Legislature the power to set parameters around these powers.
Joint Resolution to amend Article XIII of the Constitution providing for the recall of public officers, 1911 Joint Resolution 41. Proposed a constitutional amendment to allow citizen petitions for recall of state elected officials.
Joint Resolution to amend section 3 of article XI of the Constitution, relating to municipal corporations and their indebtedness, 1911 Joint Resolution 42. Second legislative passage of the proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow municipalities to exceed debt limits for the purpose of buying land for public improvements. This amendment was ratified by voters in the 1912 Fall election.
Joint Resolution to amend section 10 of article VIII of the constitution, relating to internal improvements, 1911 Joint Resolution 47. This was a second attempt at to propose an amendment to the state constitution to authorize state funding for certain public improvements after the previous amendment was rejected by voters in 1910. This amendment was ratified by voters in the 1912 Fall election.
Joint Resolution to amend article XI of the constitution by adding thereto a new section to be known as section 3a, relating to the acquisition of lands by the state or pay of its cities for certain public purposes, 1911 Joint Resolution 48. Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to allow municipalities to purchase land for public improvements. This amendment was ratified by voters in the 1912 Fall election.
Joint Resolution to add section 13, to article VIII, of the constitution, relating to state insurance, 1911 Joint Resolution 56. Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to enable the state to grant insurance by methods to be prescribed in legislation.
Joint Resolution to create seetion 11 of article VIII of the Constitution, relating to state insurance, 1911 Joint Resolution 65. Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to enable the state to set up insurance and annuities by methods prescribed in legislation.
Joint Resolution to amend section 21, of article IV, of the constitution, relating to compensation of members of the legislature, 1911 Joint Resolution 66. This was another attempt to raise the compensation of state legislators after the previous attempt was rejected by voters in 1910.
Joint Resolution to amend sections 6 and 7, of article VII, of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, relating to circuit judges, 1911 Joint Resolution 67. Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to grant the Legislature the option to decrease the number of circuits in the Wisconsin circuit court system.
Joint Resolution to amend section 1, article XII of the constitution, providing for the submission of amendments to the constitution by the legislature upon a three-fifths vote of the members elected, 1911 Joint Resolution 71. Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to allow a fast track for future amendments if they clear a 60% threshold in the Legislature.
Joint Resolution to amend section 1, of article IV of the constitution, to give to the people the power to propose laws and to enact or reject the same at the polls, and to approve or reject at the polls any act of the legislature; and to create section 3, of article XII of the constitution, providing for the submission of amendments to the constitution upon the petition of the people, 1911 Joint Resolution 74. Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to allow citizens to propose or reject legislation by petition and referendum.
May 6, 1912: An Act to create sections 35–20 to 35–24, inclusive, of the statutes, providing for nonpartisan nominations and elections in cities, 1912 Special Session Act 11. Extended the nonpartisan primary system to local offices.
May 6, 1912: An Act to amend sections 94–20, 94–21 and 94–22 of the statutes, relating to elections, 1912 Special Session Act 11. Establishing filing deadlines for candidates seeking office respecting new primary schedules.
^ abBeck, J.D., ed. (1911). "Legislative Officers and Committees". The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 350–353. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
