Senate Bill 486 and Assembly Bill 506 have been introduced on October 9th, 2023. These bills would legalize cannabis in Wisconsin for both adult-use consumers and qualified medical patients. Adults over the age of 21 will be legally permitted to possess up to five ounces of cannabis, and may grow up to 12 plants in their own private residence.

Employers would be prohibited from discriminating against workers or job applicants based on their lawful cannabis use, and automatic expungement provisions will be put in place to help remedy harms created by prohibition.

Currently under state law, Wisconsin has a very restrictive low-THC medical cannabis program (CBD) and cannabis possession, consumption, and cultivation is illegal.

The bills were introduced by 28 (out of 35) Democrat Representatives Madison, Shelton, Ohnstad, C. Anderson, J. Anderson, Baldeh, Bare, Clancy, Conley, Considine, Drake, Emerson, Goyke, Haywood, Hong, Jacobson, Joers, Moore Omokunde, Myers, Neubauer, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri, Ratcliff, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Stubbs, Subeck and Andraca; while being cosponsored by 10 (out of 11) Democratic Senators Agard, L. Johnson, Carpenter, Hesselbein, Larson, Pfaff, Roys, Smith, Spreitzer and Taylor. (Absent is Senator Wirch).

Now is the time for you to help by contacting your elected officials in support of this legislation. Wisconsin did elect a few new Democrats to the mixture but as candidates, the Democrats overwhelming supported legalization efforts. Emphasis obviously should be on the Republican Senate and Assembly Districts and those are our targets.