The Forty-Second Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 9, 1895, to April 20, 1895, in regular session.[1] They convened again in special session in February 1896 to pass a legislative redistricting law.
Senators representing odd-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 odd-numbered senators were elected in the general election of November 6, 1894. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of a four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 8, 1892.[1]
May 27, 1895: The United States Supreme Court, in the case In re Debs, ruled that the United States government had the authority to regulate interstate commerce.
May 25, 1896: Former three-term Wisconsin Governor and Union Army general Lucius Fairchild died in Madison.
June 6, 1896: U.S. President Grover Cleveland signed the "Filled Cheese Act", which established a prohibitive tax on cheese products that had been enhanced with vegetable oil or other fats. This law was proposed by Wisconsin congressman Samuel A. Cook, and was part of a decades-long effort by Wisconsin's congressional delegation to prohibit selling margarine or other alternatives to dairy products.
Wisconsin voters rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to allow the Legislature to set the salary of the state superintendent of public instruction.
Major legislation
Joint Resolution agreeing to a proposed amendment to section 1, article 10, of the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, 1895 Joint Resolution 2.
Joint Resolution that section 7, article 7, constitution of Wisconsin, relating to circuit courts be amended so as to read as follows, 1895 Joint Resolution 8. Proposed an amendment to the state constitution to allow counties with large populations to have more than one circuit judge.
1896 Wisc. Special Session Act 1, a legislative redistricting law based on Wisconsin's mid-decade state census.
