Democrats supported legislation that mirrors Evers’ marijuana plan
MADISON - In the midst of debate on the state budget, all Democrats in the Senate last month supported an amendment that included marijuana legalization, sending a signal that they align with Gov. Tony Evers’ position on the issue.
The Democrats’ unity on the issue comes weeks after Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley walked back comments that her caucus did not favor full legalization. More than half of the Democratic caucus told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that they support the idea.
When the Senate voted June 30 on the budget, all 12 Senate Democrats voted against rejecting a more-than 1,600page amendment that added back elements of Evers’ original budget proposal. In effect, all of them supported the amendment.
The amendment, offered by five Democrats including Bewley, included a plan to regulate and tax marijuana that mirrors Evers’ proposal, which was rejected by Republicans early on in the budget process.
Bewley said in an email that “as a whole, the caucus is in favor of marijuana reform, decriminalization, and eventual legalization.”
Bewley said she was “comfortable” with the way Evers’ proposal approached legalization.
“It probably isn’t the exact proposal that I would offer, but all in all it was a serious and comprehensive approach that I could vote for,” Bewley said.
The legislation would have created a permitting process for marijuana sellers and allow individuals to have up to six marijuana plants. Wisconsin residents ages 21 and older could possess up to two ounces of marijuana.
The amendment also would have required an education and awareness campaign, created a medical marijuana registry and launched a study into where the revenue would go.
Sen. Melissa Agard, a Democrat of Madison who has long pushed for marijuana legalization, said it was “refreshing” that the proposal was included in the amendment.
“I was excited to have that included and have all my colleagues vote in support of that substitute amendment,” said Agard, who plans to re-introduce her bill to legalize marijuana soon.
Although Senate Democrats have a position on the issue, Republicans who control the Legislature have rejected full legalization.
Bewley said that while Republicans would not bring marijuana proposals up for a vote, “(her) guess is that most, if not all of the Democratic caucus would vote for it.”