(Beaver Dam) A medical marijuana bill could come before Wisconsin legislators during the 2023 session. Governor Tony Evers has said he will propose medical marijuana in his next state budget and reintroduce a plan to legalize it for recreational use.
The needle has moved slightly with Republican leaders to get a bill passed, for medicinal use only. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu believes legislation to create a medical marijuana program could pass as long as regulations are put forward to ensure it is for those in serious pain. Representative Mark Born says he supports medical marijuana.
“I’ve signed on to the medical marijuana bills…I think the past two sessions, in the assembly…so, [I] continue to support that,” says Born. “[I] continue to be hopeful that we can work out something on that. The assembly has been one that has indicated support in the past and I think we can get it through. The devils always in the details of the bill, of course.”
During a recent Community Comment, Born said it appears there is enough support in the Senate to get a bill passed.
“Prior to this year, the Senate has always been kind of ‘ahh, we don’t think so’…well the senate majority leader has been out here in the last couple of weeks saying he believes he has the votes for it in the senate now too,” says Born. “That’s the first time that’s happened, so that gives me a little bit of hope that a deal can be worked out…hopefully we can get a good medical marijuana package sent to the governor and hopefully he’ll sign it.”
Recreational marijuana is already legal in Illinois and Michigan while Minnesota and Iowa have legalized it for medicinal use. The governor also noted that he would sign medical marijuana legislation if the legislature passes it.
