THU AM: Experts argue medical marijuana bill lacks regulations but advocates say it would be a relief; Utility watchdogs raise concerns over data center-driven rate hikes

October 23, 2025

— Medical experts argue a Republican-authored medical marijuana bill lacks safeguards while advocates say it would provide relief.

Senate President Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Tomahawk, during a Senate Health Committee public hearing pointed to Hawaii’s decision in 2000 to become one of the first states to pass a medical cannabis program. The state still has not legalized recreational marijuana.

“Our constituents have asked us to take this step for years, with 86% favoring legal medical cannabis in a 2024 Marquette University Law Poll,” she said.

This isn’t the first time the Legislature has taken up the issue. Committee member Sen. Jeff Smith, D-Brunswick, recalled U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, authoring one of the first medical marijuana proposals when she was in the state Assembly. Baldwin has been in Congress since 1999.

The latest version of the proposal from Sens. Felzkowski, and Pat Testin, R-Stevens Point, and Rep. Pat Snyder, R-Weston, would create a program to license growers, processors, labs and dispensaries.

The rub last year over legalizing medical marijuana was over how dispensaries should be treated.

Assembly Speaker Rep. Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said the facilities would have to be state-run. Senate Republicans balked.

Assembly bill author Rep. Patrick Snyder, R-Weston, urged his Assembly colleagues to at least give the bill a committee hearing.

“You’ve got to do the right thing, and I’m just getting frustrated,” he said. “This is my ninth year. I don’t know if there’ll be another session.”

Wisconsin Societies of Medicine’s Dr. Ritu Bhatnagar, an addiction psychiatrist, raised concerns that the measure doesn’t make medical marijuana safe.

“My concern is, if we move too quickly … we are missing an opportunity to protect and provide for Wisconsinites,” she said.

She said she and her colleagues are concerned over the lack of: formal education requirements for those diagnosing, prescribing and dispensing medical marijuana; quality control and potency regulation; safeguards in packaging requirements; and ways to address impaired driving.

The bill doesn’t specify any specific certifications or education requirements. The bill’s language requires dispensaries have “at least one pharmacist who, through education, training, and experience, is qualified to advise patients and caregivers on appropriate uses and dosages of medical cannabis products and potential interactions between medical cannabis products and other drugs …”

Peter Swan, who owns a hemp cannabis store in Pewaukee, argued the measure is “too restrictive,” adding it shouldn’t outlaw smokeable marijuana. He also raised concerns that ADHD and similar conditions wouldn’t alone qualify someone for medical marijuana.

“We need to prioritize mental health and accept the fact that cannabis does have potential to help improve the quality of life of people like myself,” he added. “Thankfully, we have a booming hemp community here in Wisconsin, where myself and many others can find federally legal THC.”

Others, such as Nora Lowe and her family, argued the bill would help provide medical relief.

Lowe, a 17-year-old who suffers from a neurological disorder called Rett syndrome, said her friends who have the same disorder and are able to get medical marijuana are able to sleep through the night and get relief from painful muscle spasms. It also helps improve their communications skills as well as regulate their movements and breathing patterns.

“I want that,” she said through a speech assistance program. “I want my breath holding episodes to stop. I believe that I deserve the same opportunities to improve my quality of life. Don’t you?”

SB 534 does not include any mention of state-run dispensaries. Rather, dispensary licenses would only be given to those who live in Wisconsin or offices where at least 80% of the company’s board members are Wisconsinites. Licensees would also have to prove to the state their facilities have “sufficient security features,” among other requirements.

Dispensaries would only be able to provide patients up to a 30-day supply of cannabis the first time patients picks up their subscription. They’d be able to provide up to 90-days’ supply after that.

Dispensary licenses would cost $5,000 per year.

Only those 18 and older would be able to get a medical marijuana card after paying a $20 fee. Anyone convicted of a felony would have their card revoked.

The list of medical conditions that would qualify someone for a card include cancer, seizures or epilepsy, glaucoma, severe chronic pain, severe muscle spasms, severe chronic nausea, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease and any terminal illness with a probable life expectancy of less than a year.

— The Citizens Utility Board and Walnut Way Conservation Corp are raising concerns Wisconsin data center electricity demand could raise rates for everyone despite being in a different ratepayer category.

CUB President Tom Content during a virtual news conference said utility companies serving Microsoft’s Mount Pleasant data center and the Vantage data center in Port Washington have filed with the Public Service Commission for rate increases for “very large customers” only.

Content said the two data centers combined would consume more than 5 million megawatts, roughly the same amount that all 1.1 million WE Energies customers use in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Waukesha, Appleton and surrounding areas.

Data center companies have argued the fact that they’re considered a different customer category than normal ratepayers means regular Wisconsinites won’t see their bills grow because of the millions of megawatts worth of electricity data centers demand. Content said CUB wants to make sure they’re held at their word through intervening in the PSC filings.

“So there is an extra they would be paying there,” he said about the large customer rate hike. “But where the rubber meets the road is … does that actually live up to what the press releases are saying, which is that they’re going to pay their way.”

Content said he’s also concerned about whether data center companies will actually pay for all the infrastructure upgrades needed to power their facilities as they say they will.

“The big question in my mind is, even if those rates are perfect, are they going to actually directly fund 100% of the costs of a new natural gas plant,” he said. “And if not, if their share is 75%, then there’s still an upward pressure for other customers.”

Walnut Way Conservation Corp Executive Director Antonio Butts, who filed to intervene in the PSC filing alongside CUB, said normal people should see positive returns from the investments utilities and data centers are making rather than being handed a bigger utility bill.

“There’s this rush to approve everything,” he said. “Data centers, gas turbines, long pipelines, and this is all being done out of fear that we’ll miss out on the next big boom. But speed without purpose turns opportunity, quite frankly, into risk.”

— The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s economic analysis for August shows continuation of a “rather sluggish” trend.

“Overall, the economic trend in the metro area continues to be rather sluggish, particularly among employment-related indicators,” MMAC VP of Economic Research Bret Mayborne said.

Non-farm employment in metro Milwaukee declined 0.7% from a year ago, averaging 865,100 this August, according to the analysis. That’s a slightly bigger year-over-year decline than the 0.6% drop this July.

Seven out of 10 major industry sectors also saw declines this August compared to last year. Financial activities, and education and health service sectors saw growth while the “other services” sector saw no change.

However, Milwaukee County residents are still buying some items, with registered mortgages growing by 7.2% compared to last year and new car registrations in the Milwaukee metro area up 4.2%.

See more on the analysis here.

— The Wisconsin Tech Council’s new president, Maggie Brickerman, is set to take the stage at the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium next month.

Brickerman, who succeeds in Tom Still, on Nov. 5 is expected to share her vision for the future of Wisconsin’s innovation economy during a lunch fireside chat alongside Tech Council Board Chair Gary Frings and Vice Chair Mark Ehrmann.

The two-day conference will also feature a variety of events, including a Nov. 6 forum on economic and technology development issues with gubernatorial candidates. There will also be several keynote speakers, panel discussions and workshops, as well as 61 companies pitching new ideas to potential investors.

The first day of the event includes a reception, two luncheons, two breakfasts and networking opportunities, including an investors-only dinner.

— Gov. Tony Evers announced the DeLong Company, Mercury Marine and Hydro-Thermal Corporation are this year’s winners of the Governor’s Export Achievement Awards.

The award is meant to recognize businesses and organizations for successful export growth and advancing Wisconsin’s reputation in international markets.

“Wisconsin’s reputation as a center of global excellence in areas ranging from manufacturing to agriculture to technology depends on innovative businesses like these,” Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Deputy Secretary Sam Rikkers said. “Through their dedication to global markets, they are showcasing the expertise, resilience, and quality that our state offers the world.”

See the release here.

— The Wisconsin Policy Forum announced the Department of Safety and Professional Services won the La Follette/Gladfelter Award for Innovation in State Government for the department’s digital licensing program.

The award is part of the Policy Forum’s 33rd annual Salute to Local Government and is designed to recognize employees or departments that show an innovative solution to address challenges while producing savings and/or programmatic improvements. DSPS’ digital licensing program, developed by Tyler Technologies, was announced in February and allows professionals to download a digital copy of their license to their Apple or Google wallet.

Secretary Dan Hereth said the award was “a big deal for our agency.”

“Providing better, more efficient service to our customers has been a focus for DSPS under the Evers Administration, and this award helps validate all the work we’ve put in to improve our processes and offerings for Wisconsin’s licensed workforce,” he added.

See the release here.

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