Papers of a Republican from Ladysmith, Wisconsin, who served in the Assembly from 1953 to 1971. Included are correspondence from constituents, colleagues, state agencies, and advocacy groups; subject files on pending legislation; material concerning work on the Highway Safety Advisory Committee; press releases and other publicity; campaign files; and personal papers.

The Willis Hutnik Papers are a typical collection of legislative papers including correspondence, legislative subject files, press material, campaign files, and miscellany. The original collection, which was received by the Historical Society in 1972, was very disordered, and to make the material accessible to researchers an organizational scheme was imposed. At the same time routine and ephemeral material was removed, and publications contained in the collection were transferred to the Society's library.

The CORRESPONDENCE, which is generally representative of constituent concerns and issues deliberated upon while Hutnik was in the legislature, is arranged chronologically. The majority of the correspondence dates from the mid-1960's with no papers whatsoever from the 1953-1954 and 1955-1956 sessions.

LEGISLATIVE SUBJECT FILES contain draft of bills requested by Hutnik from the Legislative Reference Bureau, additional correspondence, and reference material distributed to legislators by state agencies and advocacy groups. These files are arranged chronologically by session and then alphabetically by subject. These files cover the period 1959-1968, but none of the individual topics are extensively documented. The COMMITTEE FILES primarily document Hutnik's work on the Highway Safety Advisory Committee, 1966-1969.

Perhaps the most valuable portion of the papers is the file of press releases drafted by the Assembly Republican Caucus, some written specifically for Hutnik and others tailored from samples written by the caucus for all Republican assemblymen. Unfortunately because no comprehensive files of press material are held by the Archives, these files cover only 1969 and 1970. Also included with the PRESS MATERIAL are xeroxed biographical news clippings. Several photographs of Hutnik taken for publicity purposes are housed in the Visual Materials Archive.

CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION MATERIAL, 1954-1970, consists of election statistics, correspondence, clippings, literature, and financial statements for Hutnik and some opponents. The MISCELLANY consists of fragmentary correspondence concerning his business.