Vos Wants Medical Marijuana Bill
Assembly Speaker wants to push this bill in fall. Will Senate oppose it?
On Friday, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said that a bill to legalize medical marijuana would be a top priority for him this fall, as the Associated Press reported.
Vos was highly critical of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers‘ state budget proposal, which would have legalized medical pot and decriminalized its recreational use. Vos called Evers’ medical marijuana plan “half-handed”, though he seemed to be suggesting the opposite, that the legislation was far too sweeping. Republicans stripped those provisions — and many others — from the budget they approved and sent to the governor.
Vos said he wants to discuss a bill to legalize medical marijuana with his caucus this fall, presumably after the state budget is finalized. Vos told the media he has been open to legalizing medical marijuana for several years.
Evers would undoubtedly sign such a bill. But Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) has steadfastly opposed medical marijuana. “A proposal like what the governor put forward in his budget would have a difficult time getting Republican support in the Senate,” Fitzgerald said in a statement.
While Fitzgerald and Vos often disagreed when the governor was Republican Scott Walker, they have been more united since a Democrat took over the governor’s office. Vos would be likely to consult with Fitzgerald before the Assembly passed any medical pot bill. But Vos conceded it won’t be easy to get a bill through the Senate.
“The debate on this has changed dramatically in the last 10 years,” as State Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point), told Urban Milwaukee. “Given the fact that 33 other states have adopted medical marijuana, I think there’s an appetite for this among the public in Wisconsin.”
Testin has been working with a bipartisan group of legislators, including state Rep. Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma), a cancer survivor, Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton), and Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison), on creating a medical marijuana bill.
Most Republicans in the Senate hold safely gerrymandered seats and are dominated by an ultra-conservative group of GOP senators, a “Murderer’s Row for liberal and moderate ideas,” as Urban Milwaukee columnist Steve Walters once described them.
The Republicans hold an 19-14 majority in the Senate, so even if Testin and every Democrat votes for medical marijuana, they would need to convince two more Republicans to vote yes. “We still face a hard road in the Senate,” Testin noted.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits, all detailed here.
More about the Legalizing of Marijuana
- Democrats Push Again to Legalize Marijuana - Erik Gunn - Sep 25th, 2023
- Senator Agard: Response to Speaker Vos’ Medical Marijuana Comments - State Sen. Melissa Agard, Senate Democratic Leader - Apr 20th, 2023
- State Residents Paid $36 Million in Illinois Marijuana Taxes in 2022 - Isiah Holmes - Mar 20th, 2023
- Wisconsinites Paid over $36 Million in Taxes to Illinois on Cannabis Purchases - State Sen. Melissa Agard, Senate Democratic Leader - Mar 16th, 2023
- Illinois, Michigan Gained $770 Million From Cannabis Taxes in 2022 - Katjusa Cisar - Mar 9th, 2023
- Half of State’s Adults Live Within 75 Minutes of Marijuana Dispensary - Hope Kirwan - Feb 15th, 2023
- Legislators Close to Agreeing on Medical Marijuana Bill - Rob Mentzer - Jan 9th, 2023
- Milwaukee Lawmakers Plan Another Go At Unifying Pot Possession Fines - Graham Kilmer - Dec 30th, 2022
- Senator Agard Applauds President Biden’s Bold Action on Marijuana Reform - State Sen. Melissa Agard, Senate Democratic Leader - Oct 6th, 2022
- MKE County: Supervisors Seek Marijuana Referendum - Graham Kilmer - Jul 5th, 2022
Read more about Legalizing of Marijuana here
Back in the News
-
Wisconsin Center Dispute Goes National
Apr 25th, 2023 by Bruce Murphy
-
Uihleins Are Now Billionaires
Apr 17th, 2023 by Bruce Murphy
-
Wisconsin Center Accused of Censorship
Apr 11th, 2023 by Bruce Murphy