Legislation to legalize medical cannabis in Wisconsin, Senate Bill 534, was officially filed today by a group of seven Republican lawmakers.
The legislation, filed by Senators Patrick Testin and Mary Felzkwoski (Senate President), and Representatives Patrick Snyder, Dean Kaufert, Dan Knodl, Paul Melotik and Todd Novak, was immediately referred to the Senate Committee on Health for consideration.
The bill would establish a tightly regulated medical cannabis program overseen by a new Office of Medical Cannabis Regulation. Patients with qualifying conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and severe chronic pain could register with the state to obtain a variety of medical cannabis products, including concentrates, oils, tinctures, edibles, pills, topicals, gels, creams, vapors, patches, liquids, or forms administered by a nebulizer.
Under the measure, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection would license growers, processors, and testing laboratories. Licensed dispensaries would be permitted to sell medical cannabis products to registered patients and caregivers, but smoking forms of marijuana would remain prohibited. The legislation also integrates medical cannabis into Wisconsin’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and requires extensive security and testing protocols for products before they reach patients.
Senate Bill 534 includes strict residency requirements for business operators, background checks, licensing fees, and penalties for violations. It also establishes a statewide seed-to-sale tracking system and provides certain protections for patients, including exemptions in child custody and housing discrimination cases, while explicitly allowing employers to maintain drug-free workplace policies.
By introducing the measure, Republican sponsors are moving Wisconsin closer to potentially joining the majority of U.S. states with a medical cannabis program. The Senate Health Committee will now take up the bill for hearings and further debate.
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