Wisconsin lawmakers will hold a public hearing next week on Senate Bill 534, legislation that would establish a regulated medical cannabis program.
The hearing, which was scheduled the same day the bill was introduced, is set for October 22 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 330 Southwest of the State Capitol.
The bill was introduced by Senate President Mary Felzkowski (R), Senator Patrick Testin (R), and Representatives Patrick Snyder (R), Dean Kaufert (R), Dan Knodl (R), Paul Melotik (R), and Todd Novak (R). It was immediately referred to the Senate Committee on Health, which will convene Wednesday’s hearing.
SB 534 would create a new Office of Medical Cannabis Regulation under the Department of Health Services to oversee the patient registry and dispensary licensing. Qualifying conditions include cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, severe chronic pain, and terminal illness, among others. Patients would pay $20 per year to register and could designate up to three caregivers.
Registered patients would be allowed to obtain medical cannabis products in forms such as oils, tinctures, capsules, edibles, topicals, patches, gels, vapors, and liquids administered by a nebulizer. Smoking cannabis would remain prohibited, although vaporizing would be allowed. Each initial patient purchase would be limited to a 30-day supply, with future purchases capped at 90 days. Licensed pharmacists at dispensaries would be required to consult with patients before dispensing.
The bill tasks the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection with licensing growers, processors, and testing labs. These businesses would pay annual fees of $10,000 for growers and processors, and $5,000 for labs. Applicants must meet strict residency and background check requirements, operate only within secure enclosed facilities, and comply with child-resistant packaging and testing standards.
SB 534 also establishes a seed-to-sale tracking system, prohibits advertising by cannabis businesses, and exempts medical cannabis sales from state sales tax. Patients and caregivers would receive protections against housing discrimination and child custody decisions based solely on lawful medical cannabis use, though employers would still be allowed to enforce drug-free workplace policies.
If approved, Wisconsin would join 40 other states with medical cannabis programs. The October 22 hearing marks the first formal step in the legislature’s consideration of the bill.
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