Assembly to vote on cannabis oil bill

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The state Assembly is poised to vote on bills that would legalize the possession of cannabis oil, a derivative of marijuana used to treat children who suffer from seizures.

The bills, Senate Bill 10 and Assembly Bill 49, are identical. They would change state law to let people possess cannabis oil as long as they have a certification showing the substance is being used to treat a medical condition. The certification must also be current and have been issued in the previous year.

However, federal law prohibits the possession of marijuana in any form for any reason.

The Assembly is scheduled to vote on both bills during a session that starts at 1 p.m. on Tuesday in the state Capitol.

A panel of Assembly lawmakers have already given both bills a stamp of approval Feb. 22 with a 12-0 vote.

One of the bills, SB 10, has already been approved by the full state Senate with a 31-1 vote. State Sen. Duey Strobel, R-Saukville, was the only one who voted in opposition of the bill.

If the full Assembly passes votes to approve SB 10 on Tuesday, the bill would only need Gov. Scott Walker’s signature to become law.

State Assembly Rep. Samantha Kerkman, R-Salem, said at the Feb. 22 meeting that Walker supports the bill and would sign it.

Democrats in both houses have attempted to introduce amendments to SB 10 and AB 49 that would allow the substance to be produced in Wisconsin. However, their attempts have failed so far.

In the Legislature’s last session, the state Assembly had passed a bill that would have made it easier for parents to obtain cannabis oil, only to see the proposal fail in the Senate. Follow @erikastrebel