The Fifty-Ninth Wisconsin Legislature convened from to in regular session.
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 6, 1928. 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 2, 1926.
Major events
January 7, 1929: Inauguration of Walter J. Kohler Sr. as the 26th Governor of Wisconsin. March 4, 1929: Inauguration of Herbert Hoover as the 31st President of the United States March 23, 1929: Wisconsin chief justice Aad J. Vinje died in office. Justice immediately succeeded to the position of chief justice due to the rule of seniority. April 2, 1929: 1929 Wisconsin Spring general election: Wisconsin voters approved two amendments to the state constitution: Allowing legislators to set their own salary by law rather than fixing the salary in the constitution. This was the sixth attempt in 20 years to amend the constitution to allow some adjustment to legislator salary, all the previous attempts failed. Sheriffs were allowed to serve two consecutive terms in office. Wisconsin voters approved an advisory (non-binding) referendum calling for modification of the federal prohibition law. April 12, 1929: Governor appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice . May 1, 1929: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice resigned due to poor health. June 3, 1929: Governor appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the retired justice . July 27, 1929: The Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War was signed by 37 nations, including the United States. October 24–29, 1929: The Wall Street Crash of 1929 wiped out more than $30 Billion worth of value from the New York Stock Exchange (over $530 Billion adjusted for inflation), one of the inciting events of the Great Depression. October 25, 1929: Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall was convicted of bribery for his role in the Teapot Dome scandal, becoming the first Presidential cabinet member to go to prison for actions in office. November 14, 1929: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice died in office. December 15, 1929: The Green Bay Packers were the champions of the 1929 NFL season. April 4, 1930: Governor appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice . May 2, 1930: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice died in office. June 17, 1930: U.S. President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act, enacting some of the highest tariffs in U.S. history. July 13, 1930: Wisconsin congressman Florian Lampert (WI-06) died in office. August 25, 1930: Wisconsin Supreme Court justice died in office. September 16, 1930: Incumbent Wisconsin governor Walter J. Kohler Sr. lost renomination in the Republican primary (in the ongoing intra-party feud, the progressive Philip La Follette defeated the stalwart Kohler). September 25, 1930: Governor appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice Charles H. Crownhart. September 26, 1930: Governor appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to succeed the deceased justice November 4, 1930: 1930 United States general election: Philip La Follette elected Governor of Wisconsin. Wisconsin voters approved an amendment to the state constitution granting the Governor the power of a partial veto on appropriation bills. December 14, 1930: The Green Bay Packers were the champions of the 1930 NFL season.