MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A group of lawmakers launched another push Friday to legalize medical marijuana in Wisconsin, introducing a bill that would allow patients to use the drug if they register with the state and create a licensing system for growers. Thirty-three states, including neighboring Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois, have legalized marijuana for medical purposes and 11, including Illinois, have legalized it for recreational purposes. The Wisconsin bill’s authors, Sens. Jon Erpenbach and Patrick Testin and Rep. Chris Taylor, said in a joint statement that the time has come to lift the state’s restrictions. Erpenbach and Taylor are Democrats. Testin is a Republican. “Doctors and patients, not government, should decide if cannabis is the right treatment,” Testin said. Democrats have tried to get some form of marijuana legalization passed in every legislative session for the past decade. Despite Testin’s support, the latest bill faces an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has said he’s been open to legalizing medical marijuana for years and wants to work on the issue this fall. But Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has said he doesn’t support it. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers proposed legalizing medical marijuana in the state budget but Republicans removed the provisions from the final spending plan.
