Sergeant at Arms Office

The Assembly Sergeant at Arms office facilitates the operations of the Wisconsin State Assembly by providing quality, professional, and non-partisan service to Legislative offices, agencies, and guests.

The duties of the Assembly Sergeant at Arms office are laid out in Assembly Rules (outlined to the right). Many of the duties are related to executing orders of the Assembly connected with the police and good order of the body. In addition to these important security roles of the Sergeant's office, our office also helps the Assembly run on a day to day basis serving the needs of all 99 elected Assembly Representatives. Duties include room scheduling and setup, staffing hearings and caucuses, mail delivery, making deliveries in the downtown area, supply ordering and distribution, parking management, special event coordination, media access, and answering the Legislative Hotline. 

Anne Tonnon Byers was first elected Sergeant At Arms on January 3, 2011 to the Assembly. Prior to being elected Sergeant, Anne served as Assistant Sergeant at Arms. The Sergeant at Arms supervises a staff of assistants and performs all other duties as indicated by Assembly rule.

• Anne Tonnon Byers
  Assembly Sergeant at Arms
  411 West, State Capitol, PO Box 8952, Madison, WI 53708-8952
  (608) 237-9620  Fax (608) 282-3577
• Pat McKee
  Assistant Sergeant at Arms (room reservations)
  (608) 237-9624
• Lisa Teeter
• Office Manager
•  (608) 237-9620
• Matt Huffer-Kiesow
  Moves/Doorlettering
  (608) 237-9620
• Dan Borchardt
• Access/Keys
  (608) 316-9699
• Bradley Nelson
• Jonah Schwach
• Reyna Koran
• Ashleigh Pernice
• Mailroom
• Chuck Johnson
  Postmaster
  (608) 266-1006
• Scott Byers
• Lori Whitney

Duties of the Sergeant at Arms

The Assembly Sergeant at Arms is a constitutional officer of the Legislature. The Sergeant is elected by the members of the Assembly and serves two-year terms, as do the members of that body. The Office of the Assembly Sergeant at Arms is steeped in the dearly held traditions of the Legislature, which has chosen holders of the office since statehood in 1848.

According to the rules of the Assembly, the Sergeant at Arms and the full- and part-time employees who serve in the office, shall carry out the following duties:

(a)  Execute any directive of the Assembly or its presiding officer and perform all duties assigned to the Sergeant at Arms in connection with the maintenance of order in the Assembly.

(b)  Supervise the coming and going of all persons to and from the Assembly Chamber.

(c)  Supervise the distribution of all Legislative documents to the members.

(d)  Ensure that the chamber is properly ventilated and is open for the use of the members from one hour preceding any session until one hour after adjournment or as otherwise directed by the Speaker.

(e)  Supervise the employees assigned to the office of the Sergeant at Arms.

(f)  Certify the names and titles of all persons employed through the office of the Sergeant at Arms with the approval of the Speaker, the proper compensation due the Sergeant at Arms and each such employee.

(g)  Maintain order and quiet in and about the chamber, remove disorderly persons or clear the galleries or other areas of the chamber when directed to do so by the presiding officer, and carry out any other instructions of the presiding officer in relation to any disturbance which may occur in or near the chamber.

(h)  Carry out the instructions of the presiding officer in compelling the attendance of absent members.

(i)  Assist the Chief Clerk in implementing and maintaining a sound personnel management program for the Assembly.

(j)  Perform, under the supervision of the Speaker, all additional duties and services assigned to the office or Sergeant at Arms by law, legislative rule, directive of the assembly, or custom.

(k)  Ensure that the U.S. flag is displayed in the room in which an Assembly committee is meeting.

(l.)  The Sergeant at Arms shall designate one of his or her employees as Assistant Sergeant at arms to direct the duties of that office in his or her absence.