Legislative Update

The legislature officially kicked off in January with several new Waukesha County legislators as well as a new “divided government” between the Governor’s office and state Senate and Assembly.

Read more about legislative leaders’ priorities.

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Assembly: Republicans have a 63-36 seat majority and Waukesha County welcomed two new representatives: Barbara Dittrich (R – Oconomowoc) in District 38 and Robyn Vining (D – Wauwatosa) in District 14.

Leadership

• Speaker: Rep. Robin Vos (R-Rochester)
• Majority Leader: Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna)
• Assistant Majority Leader: Rep. Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma)
• Minority Leader: Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh

Waukesha County Legislators – Key Committee Chairs:

• Community Development: Rep. Scott Allen (R – Waukesha)
• Constitution and Ethics: Rep. Chuck Wichgers (R – Muskego)
• Criminal Penalties (Co-Chair): Rep. Rob Hutton (R – Brookfield)
• Energy and Utilities:  Rep. Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin)
• Financial Institutions: Rep. Cindi Duchow (R – Town of Delafield)
• Health: Rep. Joe Sanfelippo (R – New Berlin)
• Information Policy and Technology (Co-Chair): Rep. Dan Knodl (R – Germantown)
• International Affairs and Commerce: Rep. Rob Hutton (R – Brookfield)
• Jobs and the Economy: Rep. Adam Neylon (R-Pewaukee)
• Regulatory Licensing Reform: Rep. Cody Horlacher (R – Mukwonago)
• Small Business Development: Rep. Janel Brandtjen (R – Menomonee Falls)

Senate: Republicans retained a 19-14 seat majority in the Senate and Waukesha County has one new state senator – Dale Kooyenga (R – Brookfield) who previously served in the Assembly.

Leadership

• Majority Leader: Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau)
• Senate President: Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton)
• Minority Leader: Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse)

Waukesha County Legislators – Key Committee Chairs:

• Administrative Rules: Sen. Steve Nass (R – Whitewater)
• Insurance, Financial Services, Government Oversight and Courts: Sen. David Craig (R – Big Bend)
• Joint Finance (Co-Chair): Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills)
• Labor and Regulatory Reform: Sen. Steve Nass (R – Whitewater)
• Public Benefits, Licensing and State-Federal Relations: Sen. Chris Kapenga (R – Delafield)
• Senate Organization: Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R – Juneau)
• Tax Exemptions (Co-Chair): Sen. Dale Kooyenga (R – Brookfield)
• Universities, Technical Colleges, Children and Families: Sen. Dale Kooyenga (R – Brookfield)