696


WISCONSIN BLUE BOOK 1987-1988


1963 - John Gronouski, State Tax Commissioner, appointed U.S. Postmaster
General. State
         expenditures from all funds for 1963-64 fiscal year top one billion
for first time.
 1964 -  Wisconsin Supreme Court redistricted Legislature after Legislature
and Governor
         failed to agree on a plan. Two National Farmers Organization members
killed in dem-
         onstration at Bonduel stockyard. Legislature enacted property tax
relief for aged and
         abolished office of county superintendent of schools (public education
organized into
         CESAs).
 1965    School age raised to 18. All parts of state placed into vocational
school districts.
         County boards reapportioned on population basis. State law prevented
discrimination
         in housing. The State Capitol, in usesince 1917 and after extensive
remodeling and
         cleaning, officially dedicated.
1966 -   1965 Legislature held first full even-year regular session since
1882. Civil rights demon-
         strations in Wauwatosa brought out National Guard to keep order.
Wisconsin
         Supreme Court upheld Milwaukee Braves baseball team move to Atlanta.
Grand jury
         investigation of illegal lobbying activities in the Legislature
resulted in 13 indictments.
1967     Executive branch reorganized along functional lines. Ban on colored
oleomargarine
         repealed. Racial rioting in Milwaukee in July-August. Marathon marches
demonstrate
         for Milwaukee open housing ordinance. Anti-war protests at UW-Madison
culminate
         in riot with injuries.
1968     Constitutional amendment permitted the legislature to meet as provided
by law rather
         than once a biennium, resulting in annual sessions. Ninety Black
students expelled
         from UW-Oshkosh when December demonstration damaged the administration
build-
         ing. Wisconsin's first heart transplant performed at St. Luke's
Hospital in Milwaukee,
         first successful bone marrow transplant performed by team of UW-Madison
scientists.
1969     Selective sales tax became general sales tax. On opening day of
September special
         session on welfare and urban aids, welfare mothers and UW-Madison
students, led by
         Father James Groppi, took over the Assembly Chamber, National Guard
called to
         protect Capitol. Groppi cited for contempt and jailed, contempt
charge upheld by
         Supreme Court. Student strikes at UW-Madison demanded Black studies
department,
         National Guard activated to restore order. Congressman Melvin R.
Laird appointed
         U.S. Secretary of Defense. The interstate highway system in the
state completed.
1970 - UW-Madison Army Mathematics Research Building bombed, one death. UW-White-
         water's "Old Main" burned down as result of apparent arson.
First elections to 4-year
         terms in Wisconsin history for all constitutional officers. UW scientists,
headed by
         Dr. Har Gobind Khorana, succeeded in the first total synthesis of
a gene.
1971 - The Legislature, now meeting in annual session, enacted major shared
tax redistribu-
         tion, merger of University of Wisconsin and State University systems,
revision of mu-
         nicipal employe relations laws.
1972 - Legislature enacted comprehensive consumer protection act, lowered
the age of major-
         ity from 21 to 18, required environmental impact statement for all
legislation affecting
         the environment, repealed railroad full crew law and ratified the
unsuccessful "equal
         rights" amendment to U.S. Constitution. Record highway death
toll, 1,168.
1973 - State constitutional amendment adopted permitting bingo. Barbara Thompson
first
         woman state superintendent of public instruction. The 1954 Menominee
Termination
         Act repealed by Congress. Legislature enacted state ethics code,
repealed oleomarga-
         rine tax, broadened the homestead tax exemption, funded programs
for the education
         of all handicapped children, passed emergency energy legislation
in response to the
         energy crisis, and established procedures for informal probate of
simple estates.
1974 -   Legislature enacted comprehensive campaign finance act and strengthened
open meet-
         ings law. Democrats swept all constitutional offices and gained
control of both houses
         of the 1975 Legislature for first time since 1893. Kathryn Morrison
first woman elected
         to the state Senate. Striking teachers fired in Hortonville.

                                      Recent History
  Democrats have controlled both houses of the Legislature since 1975. Women
began to be
widely represented in the Legislature for the first time. California began
to challenge Wisconsin's