The Seventy-First Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session.

During this session, the Legislature attempted to pass another redistricting plan to supersede the "Rosenberry plan" that had passed during the previous session. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately struck down this second plan, finding that the state constitution did not allow for the Legislature to pass more than one redistricting plan per decennial census. The Rosenberry plan went into effect for the 1954 election. This was the first time in 60 years that the court got involved in a Wisconsin redistricting dispute, but it would be the start of a pattern of state and federal courts handling Wisconsin redistricting for subsequent decades.

Senators representing even-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 even-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 4, 1952. Senators representing odd-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 7, 1950.

The governor of Wisconsin during this entire term was Republican Walter J. Kohler Jr., of Sheboygan County, serving his second two-year term, having won re-election in the 1952 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

Major events

January 5, 1953: Second inauguration of Walter J. Kohler Jr. as Governor of Wisconsin. January 20, 1953: Inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower as 34th President of the United States. March 5, 1953: Joseph Stalin, the premier of the Soviet Union, died after suffering a stroke. March 18, 1953: Major League Baseball's National League approved the relocation of the Boston Braves franchise to Milwaukee. March 26, 1953: Jonas Salk announced his polio vaccine. April 7, 1953: Wisconsin voters approved two amendments to the state constitution: Changing the apportionment rules for legislative districts to include consideration of district size alongside consideration of population. Changing judicial term rules so that judicial special elections would be for a new full term, rather than for the remaining years on the previous incomplete term. April 13, 1953: The Milwaukee Braves Major League Baseball team played their first game at Milwaukee County Stadium. July 27, 1953: The Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, dividing Korea and effectively ending the Korean War. October 6, 1953: The Wisconsin Supreme Court, in the case State ex rel. Thomson v. Zimmerman, resolved the several questions arising from the legislative redistricting process. They ruled the April 1953 constitutional amendment was nullified because the ballot language did not properly describe the proposed amendment. They further found that the state constitution did not allow the legislature to enact more than one redistricting plan per census. January 1, 1954: Wisconsin chief justice Oscar M. Fritz resigned due to poor health. Justice Edward T. Fairchild immediately succeeded to the position of chief justice due to the rule of seniority. Wisconsin Governor Walter J. Kohler Jr. appointed Roland J. Steinle to succeed him as justice. March 9, 1954: Journalists Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly released their 30-minute documentary on Wisconsin's controversial U.S. senator Joseph McCarthy. April 7, 1954: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered his "Domino theory" speech, warning of the spread of communism in southeast Asia. May 17, 1954: The United States Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education, ruled that school segregation was unconstitutional. July 21, 1954: The 1954 Geneva Conference dismantled French Indochina and divided Vietnam. September 8, 1954: The Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty was signed, establishing the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization defensive alliance. November 2, 1954: Walter J. Kohler Jr. re-elected as Governor of Wisconsin. December 2, 1954: The United States Senate voted 67–22 to condemn Wisconsin's U.S. senator Joseph McCarthy for "conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute."

Major legislation June 6, 1953: An Act ... relating to the apportionment of assemblymen and senators, 1953 Act 242. This was a new redistricting plan to supersede the plan they passed in 1951 utilizing the language of the constitutional amendment passed in April 1953. The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down this act, along with the related constitutional amendment, in October 1953. 1953 Joint Resolution 9: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to change the apportionment rules for legislative districts to add consideration for district size. This amendment was approved by voters at the April 1953 election, but was that referendum was later ruled invalid. 1953 Joint Resolution 12: Second legislative passage of a proposed amendment to the state constitution to change judicial terms in cases of special elections, so that special elections would now award a full term rather than the remainder of any incomplete term. This amendment was approved by voters at the April 1953 election.

Party summary Senate summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 7 25 32 1 Start of Reg. Session 7 26 33 0 From Feb. 10, 1953Republican Rudolph Schlabach (32nd District) resigned. 25 32 1 From Apr. 23, 1953Republican Raymond Bice Sr. (32nd District) sworn in to replace Rudolph Schlabach. 26 33 0 From Oct. 22, 1953Republican Gordon A. Bubolz (14th District) resigned. 25 32 1 From Dec. 26, 1953Republican Robert P. Robinson (15th District) died. 24 31 2 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 8 25 33 0

Assembly summary

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Dem. Rep. Vacant End of previous Legislature 23 76 99 1 Start of Reg. Session 25 75 100 0 From Apr. 23, 1953Republican Raymond Bice Sr. ( County) resigned after being elected to the state senate. 74 99 1 From Aug. 14, 1953Republican Charles A. Peterson ( County) resigned. 73 98 2 From Dec. 31, 1953Republican John E. Reilly Jr. (Milwaukee County) resigned to become a county judge. 72 97 3 Final voting share Beginning of the next Legislature 36 64 100 0

Sessions Regular session: January 14, 1953November 6, 1953

Leaders Senate leadership President of the Senate: George M. Smith (R) President pro tempore: Frank E. Panzer (R–Oakfield) Majority leader: Warren P. Knowles (R–New Richmond) Minority leader: Henry Maier (D–Milwaukee)

Assembly leadership Speaker of the Assembly: Ora R. Rice (R–Delavan) Majority leader: Mark Catlin Jr. (R–Appleton) Minority leader: George Molinaro (D–Kenosha)

Members Members of the Senate Members of the Senate for the Seventy-First Wisconsin Legislature:

Dist. Counties Senator Residence Party 01 Door, Kewaunee, Two Rivers Rep. 02 Brown Green Bay Rep. 03 Milwaukee (South City) Milwaukee Dem. 04 Milwaukee (Northeast County Milwaukee Rep. 05 Milwaukee Milwaukee Rep. 06 Milwaukee Milwaukee Dem. 07 Milwaukee (Southeast County Milwaukee Dem. 08 Milwaukee West MilwaukeeRep. 09 Milwaukee Milwaukee Dem. 10 Buffalo, Pepin, Pierce, New RichmondRep. 11 Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, SuperiorRep. 12 Ashland, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, LadysmithRep. 13 Dodge OakfieldRep. 14 Outagamie AppletonRep. 15 Rock BeloitRep. 16 Crawford, Grant, BloomingtonRep. 17 Green, Iowa, South WayneRep. 18 , CampbellsportRep. 19 Calumet NeenahDem. 20 Ozaukee Sheboygan FallsRep. 21 Racine RacineDem. 22 Kenosha Lake Geneva Rep. 23 Portage Stevens Point Rep. 24 Clark, Taylor, Vesper Rep. 25 Lincoln Merrill Rep. 26 Dane Madison Dem. 27 Columbia, Richland, Richland Center Rep. 28 Chippewa Chippewa Falls Rep. 29 Barron, Dunn, Menomonie Rep. 30 Florence, Forest, Langlade, Marinette, Amberg Rep. 31 Adams, Juneau, Monroe, Sparta Rep. 32 Jackson, La Crosse, La Crosse Rep. La Crosse Rep. 33 Jefferson Rep.

Members of the Assembly Members of the Assembly for the Seventy-First Wisconsin Legislature:

SenateDist. County Dist. Representative Party Residence 31 Adams Rep. Adams 12 Ashland Rep. Mellen 29 Barron Rep. Cameron 11 Bayfield Rep. Grand View 02 Brown 1 Dem. Green Bay 2 Rep. Denmark 10 Buffalo Rep. Durand 11 Burnett Rep. Spooner 19 Calumet Rep. Menasha 28 Chippewa Rep. Chippewa Falls 24 Clark Rep. Unity 27 Columbia Rep. Portage 16 Crawford Rep. Prairie du Chien 26 Dane 1 Dem. Madison 2 Dem. Stoughton 3 Dem. Verona 13 Dodge 1 Rep. Mayville 2 Rep. Burnett 01 Door Rep. Sturgeon Bay 11 Douglas 1 Rep. Superior 2 Rep. Superior 29 Dunn Rep. Menomonie 28 Eau Claire Rep. Eau Claire 30 Florence, Forest, Rep. Rhinelander 18 Fond du Lac 1 Rep. Fond du Lac 2 Rep. Rosendale 16 Grant 1 Rep. Platteville 2 Rep. Fennimore 17 Green Rep. Monroe 18 Green Lake Rep. Wautoma 17 Iowa Rep. Highland 12 Iron Dem. Gile 32 Jackson Dem. Taylor 33 Jefferson Rep. Watertown 31 Juneau Rep. Hustler 22 Kenosha 1 Dem. Kenosha 2 Dem. Kenosha 01 Kewaunee Rep. Kewaunee 32 La Crosse 1 Rep. La Crosse --Vacant from Apr. 23, 1953-- 2 Rep. Medary 17 Lafayette Rep. South Wayne 30 Langlade Rep. Antigo 25 Lincoln Rep. Merrill 01 Manitowoc 1 Rep. Manitowoc 2 Rep. Two Rivers 25 Marathon 1 Rep. Hamburg 2 Rep. Wausau 30 Marinette Rep. Marinette 09 Milwaukee 1 Dem. Milwaukee 06 2 Dem. Milwaukee 08 3 Dem. West Allis 09 4 Dem. Milwaukee 03 5 Dem. Milwaukee 09 6 Dem. Milwaukee 06 7 Dem. Milwaukee 08 8 Dem. Milwaukee 05 9 Rep. Milwaukee 07 10 Dem. Cudahy 03 11 Dem. Milwaukee 07 12 Dem. Milwaukee 04 13 Dem. Milwaukee 14 Rep. Milwaukee 05 15 Rep. Milwaukee 06 16 Dem. Milwaukee 07 17 Dem. Milwaukee 06 18 Dem. Milwaukee 05 19 Rep. Milwaukee 08 20 Rep. Wauwatosa 31 Monroe Rep. Tomah 02 Oconto Rep. Oconto 14 Outagamie 1 Rep. Appleton 2 Rep. Bear Creek 20 Ozaukee Rep. Port Washington 10 Pierce Rep. Prescott 29 Polk Rep. Milltown 23 Portage Dem. Stevens Point 12 Price Rep. Phillips 21 Racine 1 Dem. Racine 2 Rep. Racine 3 Rep. Mount Pleasant 27 Richland Rep. Richland Center 15 Rock 1 Rep. Janesville 2 Rep. Beloit 12 Rusk Rep. Tony 27 Sauk Rep. Reedsburg 14 Shawano Rep. Shawano 20 Sheboygan 1 Rep. Sheboygan 2 Rep. Waldo 10 St. Croix Rep. Somerset 24 Taylor Rep. Medford 32 Trempealeau Rep. Strum 16 Vernon Rep. Westby 22 Walworth Rep. Delavan 13 Washington Rep. West Bend 33 Waukesha 1 Rep. Waukesha 2 Rep. Hartland 23 Waupaca Rep. Clintonville 19 Winnebago 1 Rep. Oshkosh 2 Rep. Menasha 24 Wood Rep. Wisconsin Rapids

Committees Senate committees Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and ConservationM. Olson, chair Senate Standing Committee on CommitteesJ. Miller, chair Senate Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresF. B. Porter, chair Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public WelfareR. P. Robinson, chair Senate Standing Committee on HighwaysJ. Miller, chair Senate Standing Committee on the JudiciaryW. P. Knowles, chair Senate Standing Committee on Labor and ManagementG. A. Bubolz, chair Senate Standing Committee on Legislative ProcedureF. E. Panzer, chair Senate Standing Committee on State and Local GovernmentB. Gettelman, chair Senate Standing Committee on Veterans AffairsJ. E. Leverich, chair

Assembly committees Assembly Standing Committee on AgricultureJ. T. Pritchard, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and ManufacturingE. L. Genzmer, chair Assembly Standing Committee on ConservationR. S. Travis, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Contingent ExpendituresE. D. Hall, chair Assembly Standing Committee on EducationM. C. Kintz, chair Assembly Standing Committee on ElectionsH. W. Timmer, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Engrossed BillsL. R. Larsen, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Enrolled BillsR. A. Peabody, chair Assembly Standing Committee on Excise and FeesH. R. Abraham, chair Assembly Standing Committee on HighwaysH. A. Keegan, chair