MADISON – The State Assembly resumed regular floor session today to take action on various bills, including multiple pieces of legislation to loosen concealed carry and gun possession regulation and one bill, AB 440 to further criminalize marijuana possession through increased penalties for the home-production of butane hash oil (BHO) and assigning higher-class felonies for resin possession. On this bill and others’ passage today, Representative Kristina Shelton (D-Green Bay) offered the following statement:
“Assembly Bill 440 masquerades as an acceptable piece of legislation while hiding its true intent of further criminalizing marijuana possession and moving our state further away from full recreational legalization. Yes, using butane for home production is extremely dangerous, and we all can agree on this measure for public safety. But, the details baked into this bill make no difference between home production (open loop) and professionals in future manufacturing facilities for legal cannabis (closed loop). This just creates another hurdle for when Wisconsin legalizes weed for recreational use. Laws for the purpose of safety can be understood, but laws like this that use it as a guise to pass legislation that doubles down on tough-on-crime penalties is out of step with what Wisconsinites want.
“Instead of debating AB 440, which advances possession criminalization and sinks future manufacturing, we should be discussing SB 545/AB 846 from Senator Agard that would move us through a just and safe transition to full recreational legalization, as requested by 59% of Wisconsinites. Once this has been achieved, we can turn our focus to regulation and safe production, rather than this approach in the weeds about reckless at-home practices.
“In the collection of other bills passed by voice vote on the Assembly floor today were multiple pieces of legislation that will decrease safety in our schools via gun regulation measures. Bills that would lower the minimum age for concealed carry, allow guns to be stored in vehicles on school property, and would accept out-of-state concealed carry licenses that do not require background checks have now passed in our State Legislature. In another round of sweeping measures, Assembly Republicans are moving farther from community safety – and farther from the will of our constituents.”
