The Ninety-Sixth Wisconsin Legislature convened from January 6, 2003, to January 3, 2005, in regular session, and held a concurrent special session from January 30, 2003, to February 20, 2003. They also held seven extraordinary sessions during the term. This was the first legislative session after the redistricting of the Senate and Assembly according to the 2002 federal court decision, Baumgart v. Wendelberger. 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 5, 2002. Senators representing even-numbered districts were serving the third and fourth year of their four-year term, having been elected in the general election of November 7, 2000.

Major events

Party summary

Senate summary

[Senate partisan composition {{legend|#3333FF|Democratic: 15 seats}}{{legend|#E81B23|Republican: 18 seats|undefined | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/WI///Senate///1973.svg]

Assembly summary

[Assembly partisan composition {{legend|#3333FF|Democratic: 40 seats}}{{legend|#E81B23|Republican: 59 seats|undefined | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/WI///Assembly///2003.svg]

Sessions

Leadership

Senate leadership

Assembly leadership

Members

Members of the Senate

Members of the Wisconsin Senate for the Ninety-Sixth Wisconsin Legislature:

[Senate partisan representation {{legend|#3333FF|Democratic: 15 seats}}{{legend|#E81B23|Republican: 18 seats|undefined | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/WI///Senate///Partisan///Map///2003.svg]

Members of the Assembly

Members of the Assembly for the Ninety-Sixth Wisconsin Legislature:

[Assembly partisan representation {{legend|#3333FF|Democratic: 40 seats}}{{legend|#E81B23|Republican: 59 seats|undefined | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/WI///Assembly///Partisan///Map///2003.svg]

Changes from the 95th Legislature

The most significant structural change to the Legislature between the 95th and 96th sessions was the reapportionment and redistricting of legislative seats. The new districts were defined in the federal court decision Baumgart v. Wendelberger, from a three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.