Wisconsin Republican joins Democratic bid to reduce weed penalties
MADISON, Wis. A Republican state lawmaker joined three Democrats in a longshot effort to loosen the penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana in Wisconsin.
Rep. Adam Jarchow, of Balsam Lake, said at a Tuesday news conference that he realized the need for the proposal after voters he met in his district repeatedly urged him to reconsider the states approach to marijuana.
If people in rural Northwestern Wisconsin in a conservative district think we need to change course, then maybe we do, he said.
The measure from Jarchow, Sen. Fred Risser and Reps. Evan Goyke and Jonathan Brostoff would cap the penalty for possessing 10 grams or less of marijuana at $100 and remove the possibility of jail time or being charged with a felony for subsequent offenses. The current maximum penalty is $1,000 and six months in jail for a first conviction and any subsequent convictions are felonies. It wouldnt change the penalties for marijuana dealers who possess large amounts of the drug.
It seems to me to be pretty odd that possession of a couple joints could land you in jail or prison, Jarchow said.
Risser said having a small amount of marijuana doesnt endanger other peoples lives and therefore shouldnt be harshly punished. Marijuana possession arrests account for about 5 percent of all arrests, according to a Legislative Fiscal Bureau analysis.
The proposal faces an uphill battle with Republicans who control the Legislature. Jarchow said he hasnt spoken ...
