On September 20, Senator Patrick Testin (R – Stevens Point), Senator Jon Erpenbach (D – West Point), and Representative Chris Taylor (D – Madison) introduced a bipartisan medical marijuana bill.

The legislation would legalize medicinal use of cannabis for specified diseases laid out in the bill. The legislation direct the Department of Health Services to develop a medical cannabis registry. In order for an individual to obtain cannabis, they must have a registry identification card and a recommendation from a physician. 

Furthermore, the bill requires the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection to develop a licensing system for growers, producers, and sellers in order to ensure quality and safety in medical cannabis products. 

If passed, Wisconsin would join in Minnesota, Illinois, and Michigan in legalizing medical cannabis. However, passage appears to be a bit of a longshot. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R – Juneau) told the media, “I don’t support this plan and I think it’s going to be a tough sell to a majority of my caucus.” 

While there have been attempts in recent legislative sessions to legalize medical cannabis, this effort is somewhat different due to Republican Senator Patrick Testin being a coauthor of the bill. This is the first bipartisan attempt in recent legislative sessions.