About the Senate

The Wisconsin State Senate is located in the south wing of the state Capitol on the second floor. There are 33 members of the Senate, who are elected to a four-year term. Sixteen members are elected in the presidential election year while the other 17 are elected during the gubernatorial election year. The senate president presides over senate sessions at the large desk in the front of the chamber. Fellow senators elect the senate president and the senate majority leader at the beginning of session. The majority party, led by the senate majority leader, sits in the outer circle of desks while the minority party sits in the inner circle. The chief clerk sits in the front of the room with the senate president and assists with presiding over session.

The Senate meets in this room to discuss and vote on bills that may be passed into law. In order for a bill to become a law in Wisconsin, it must be passed by both the Senate and the Assembly and then signed by the Governor. The bill can be introduced in either house. It is then referred to a legislative committee for study. The committee may hold public hearings on the bill. After detailed investigation, the committee recommends passage or rejection of the bill. Bills that make it out of the legislative committee can then be scheduled for floor debate, and if passed, the bill then goes to the other house for consideration. Any amendments to the bill must be approved by both houses. When both houses have passed the same version of a bill, it goes to the Governor for signature. 

The Senate uses a roll-call voting system to vote on bills. The chief clerk calls on each senator and they respond with either an "aye" or "no" and the chief clerk records their vote. Legislative sessions are open to the public. There is a gallery in both the Senate and Assembly, accessible from the third floor, where visitors can sit and watch their legislators at work. The sessions are also streamed via Wisconsin Eye.