GOP Plan To Legalize Medical Marijuana In Wisconsin Is Dead For Now, Says Assembly Speaker

A Republican-backed proposal to legalize medical marijuana in Wisconsin appears to be dead in the water for this legislative session.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos acknowledged on Thursday the near-certain demise of the bill going forward during the ongoing legislative session.

What’s The Problem? Deep Divisions Within The GOP

The proposed legislation, championed by Vos and the Assembly Republicans, had envisioned a state-run dispensary system. However, this model met stiff resistance from their GOP Senate counterparts, who advocate for private dispensaries. Senate President Chris Kapenga further complicated matters by expressing reservations about legalizing marijuana at all.

Despite opposition, Vos remained firm, refusing to amend the bill to address Senate concerns. This unwillingness to compromise solidified the impasse, effectively stalling the legislation’s progress, reported local media.

"We see that the Senate wants to have a more liberal version than the one that we're willing to pass," Vos said at a Thursday news conference. The votes remain to pass the original Assembly version, Vos said, but it won't come up for a vote before the Assembly ends its session for the year next week.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers voiced support for legalizing medical marijuana as a step toward full legalization. In early January, Evers said he’d support the Republican’s limited medical marijuana bill as long as it was reasonable.

What’s In The Bill: The highly restrictive Republican bill would limit medical marijuana to severely ill people and allow for it to be dispensed at just five state-run locations. Compared to past proposals, the Assembly Republicans’ bill offered a more limited scope. While it allowed various consumption methods like oils, edibles, and topicals, smoking was strictly prohibited. The qualifying medical conditions were also restricted to 15, a narrower range compared to neighboring states like Minnesota’s program, which encompasses around 20 conditions.

Public sentiment stands in stark contrast to the legislative gridlock. A 2019 poll by Marquette University Law School revealed overwhelming support for medical marijuana legalization, with 83% of Wisconsin voters in favor. Yet, previous attempts by Democrats and Gov. Evers have consistently faced roadblocks erected by Republican leadership.

Photo: Benzinga Edit with images from Kindel Media and 12019 by Pixabay.