A high Wisconsin Republican lawmaker says the governor dangers jeopardizing an opportunity to cross bipartisan laws permitting medical hashish if he follows although with a pledge to place broader legalization of marijuana for leisure use in his upcoming price range proposal.
Whereas Gov. Tony Evers (D) has mentioned that enacting a extra restricted medical marijuana program may symbolize an space of bipartisan compromise within the subsequent session, he’s additionally intent on advancing broader reform. Meeting Speaker Robin Vos (R) says that might be an issue.
“If he actually needs to generate consensus, he must get off his liberal bandwagon and begin by saying the place can we generate consensus, and that’s not by pitching the farthest excessive place,” Vos instructed WisPolitics.com final week.
The speaker, who has beforehand expressed openness to medical hashish legalization, significantly for sufferers who’re in search of an opioid different, mentioned that if Evers follows by means of on placing adult-use legalization within the biennial price range request for 2023-2025, that might scare off “folks like me and an entire lot of others out of claiming this isn’t only a gateway to leisure marijuana.”
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The governor, who’s just lately expressed optimism concerning the prospects working with the GOP-controlled legislature to legalize medical hashish, mentioned in a separate new interview revealed on Monday that “we’ve to do one thing, for my part.” Nevertheless, he acknowledged that reform could must be rolled out in increments.
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“There appears to be an curiosity in—and there was prior to now, some Republicans I do know voiced across the problem of medical marijuana,” the governor instructed Spectrum Information 1.
“We are going to probably, in our price range, speak concerning the legalization of leisure and in addition medicinal marijuana, so we hopefully will get someplace, however I simply sense within the tea leaves that there’s an curiosity in a two-step course of right here, as different states have performed medicinal first leisure second, however we are going to see,” he mentioned. “We shall be pushing for all. There isn’t a query about that.”
In its price range request that was unveiled earlier this month, the state Division of Income (DOR) known as on the governor to place legalization in his govt proposal. The State Public Defender (SDP) is individually in search of decriminalization of hashish possession.
The governor included leisure and medical marijuana legalization in his 2021 price range and decriminalization and medical hashish in his 2019 proposal, however the conservative legislature has blocked the reforms.
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Some state lawmakers have additionally filed payments to legalize hashish for grownup use—and Meeting Majority Chief Jim Steineke (R) has mentioned legalization is “probably” to occur in some unspecified time in the future—however the legislature has to date didn’t cross much more modest proposals like decriminalization or the legalization of medical hashish.
Forward of the November election, Evers met with school college students and urged supporters to get engaged and vote, partly to make sure that the state advances marijuana legalization.
If Democrats had gained sufficient seats, it may have additionally set them as much as cross a decision that the governor just lately launched to permit residents to place initiatives on the poll. Advocates expressed hope that the transfer may open the door to lastly letting voters determine on marijuana legalization, but it surely’s unlikely that GOP lawmakers will go together with it.
However voters throughout the state have been making their voices heard on hashish reform over the previous a number of election cycles. Most just lately, voters in three counties and 5 municipalities throughout the state authorised non-binding advisory questions on their native ballots in assist of legalization.
The native votes are largely meant to serve a messaging function, offering lawmakers with a transparent coverage temperature-check amongst their constituents. However people who had been authorised won’t change any legal guidelines by themselves.
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A statewide ballot launched in August discovered {that a} strong 69 p.c of registered voters in Wisconsin imagine that hashish ought to be authorized. That features 81 p.c of Democrats, 75 p.c of independents and 51 p.c of Republicans.
Republicans filed a restricted medical hashish invoice this 12 months—and it bought a listening to on the unofficial marijuana vacation 4/20, however that got here too late within the legislative session for lawmakers to truly vote on the measure.
Different GOP members have filed payments to extra modestly decriminalize marijuana possession within the state, however none of these proposals superior.
Because it stands, marijuana possession is punishable by a most $1,000 superb and as much as six months in jail for a primary offense. Individuals convicted of a subsequent offense would face a felony cost punishable by a most $10,000 superb and as much as three and a half years in jail.
The governor in February vetoed a GOP-led invoice that may have considerably ramped up legal penalties for individuals who use butane or comparable fuels to extract marijuana.
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Evers held a digital city corridor occasion final 12 months the place he mentioned his hashish proposal, emphasizing that polling demonstrates that Wisconsin residents again the coverage change.
And within the interim as lawmakers pursue reform, the governor has issued a whole lot of pardons throughout his years in workplace, primarily to folks convicted of non-violent marijuana or different drug offenses.
Psychedelics Like Psilocybin Are Now Authorized In Colorado With Governor’s Proclamation On Voter-Permitted Poll Measure
Photograph courtesy of Philip Steffan.
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Appalachian State Mountaineers (1-1) at Wisconsin Badgers (2-0)
Madison, Wisconsin; Sunday, 12 p.m. EST
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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Badgers -12.5; over/under is 141.5
BOTTOM LINE: Wisconsin hosts Appalachian State after Max Klesmit scored 26 points in Wisconsin’s 79-67 victory over the Montana State Bobcats.
Wisconsin went 22-14 overall last season while going 14-3 at home. The Badgers gave up 70.0 points per game while committing 16.6 fouls last season.
Appalachian State finished 8-5 on the road and 27-7 overall last season. The Mountaineers averaged 78.4 points per game last season, 40.2 in the paint, 12.1 off of turnovers and 11.5 on fast breaks.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Wisconsin volleyball coach Sheffield praises team’s play Penn State
The Badgers coach spoke to reporters following his team’s sweep of Penn State Saturday at the UW Field House.
MADISON – The Wisconsin volleyball team had the eyes of the nation on it Saturday afternoon and put on a show.
The Badgers swept third-ranked Penn State in front of a packed house at the UW Field House and knocked the Nittany Lions out of first place in the Big Ten. The 25-23, 25-12, 25-13 victory took just 90 minutes to complete and snapped Penn State’s 15 match winning streak.
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The contest was shown on NBC, just one of two broadcast by the network this season.
The victory also kept UW alive in the Big Ten race. The Badgers (19-5, 13-2) remained in third place, but closed the gap on Penn State (23-2, 13-1). Nebraska (23-1, 13-0) sits in sole possession of first place thanks to the outcome. The Cornhuskers play at Washington tonight and still have matches with Penn State (Nov. 29) and Wisconsin (Nov. 23) on the schedule.
Seniors Anna Smrek and Sarah Franklin finished with 13 kills each while hitting .462 and .419, respectively. Julia Orzol, another senior, added 11 kills and a .526 hitting percentage.
Six Badgers had multiple kills and each hit at least .375. UW also had the rare distinction of not getting blocked once. Penn State entered play averaging a respectable 2.52 blocks per set.
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Freshman setter Charlie Fuerbringer (36 assists) played what Badgers coach Kelly Sheffield said was her best match of the season.
The UW defense, meanwhile, held Penn State to a .117 hitting percentage and had 11 blocks. The Nittany Lions entered play leading the Big Ten and ranking ninth in the nation in hitting percentage .295.
Nittany Lions All-American Jess Mruzik finished with nine kills and a .075 hitting percentage.
Evan Vanevenhoven’s toss to Ashton Van Beek sets up Neenah TD against Muskego
The Rockets scored on the next play but ultimately fell to the Warriors in Friday’s Division 1 state quarterfinal. It’s our Cellcom livestream play of the game.
The 2024 WIAA football playoffs continue next weekend, with semifinals in each of seven 11-player divisions and the championship game in the eight-player division.
All games are at 7 p.m. Friday, unless otherwise noted.
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More: Wisconsin high school football live scores from the state quarterfinal games
Here’s the schedule of games:
WIAA Division 1 semifinals
No. 7 D.C. Everest vs. No. 2 Bay Port at UW-Oshkosh
No. 4 Muskego vs. No. 2 Mukwonago at West Allis
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WIAA Division 2 semifinals
No. 3 West De Pere vs. No. 2 Rice Lake at Marshfield
No. 1 Slinger vs. No. 1 Badger at Waukesha West
WIAA Division 3 semifinals
No. 3 La Crosse Logan vs. No. 2 Notre Dame at Wisconsin Rapids
No. 3 Wisconsin Lutheran vs. No. 1 Catholic Memorial at Muskego
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Notre Dame 28, Grafton 6: Highlights from marquee D3 showdown
Behind a four-touchdown outing from Christian Collins, Notre Dame eliminated Grafton in the WIAA Division 3 high school football tournament, 28-6.
WIAA Division 4 semifinals
No. 2 Baldwin-Woodville vs. No. 1 Winneconne at Medford
No. 1 Racine St. Catherine’s vs. No. 1 Aquinas at Madison La Follette
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WIAA Division 5 semifinals
No. 2 Northwestern vs. No. 1 Wrightstown at Rhinelander
No. 1 Prairie du Chien vs. No. 1 Stratford at Wisconsin Dells
WIAA Division 6 semifinals
No. 2 Bonduel vs. No. 2 Grantsburg at Stanley-Boyd
No. 8 Belleville vs. No. 2 Lomira at Oconomowoc
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WIAA Division 7 semifinals
No. 2 Boyceville vs. No. 1 Edgar at Chippewa Falls
No. 3 Potosi/Cassville vs. No. 1 Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic at Madison Memorial
WIAA eight-player championship game
No. 1 Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas vs. No. 1 Owen-Withee at Wisconsin Rapids, 1 p.m. Saturday