The governor of Wisconsin has once again included a proposal to legalize marijuana in his biennial budget request.
“Legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of marijuana for recreational use, much like Wisconsin already does with alcohol,” a budget brief that the office of Gov. Tony Evers (D) released on Tuesday says, adding that it will result in “$58.1 million in revenue in fiscal year 2026-27 and growing amounts in future years.”
Under current Wisconsin law, cannabis is illegal for both recreational and medical purposes.
The governor’s proposal would additionally “create a process for individuals serving sentences or previously convicted of marijuana-related crimes to have an opportunity to repeal or reduce their sentences for nonviolent minor offenses.”
“The Governor further recommends the imposition of a 15 percent wholesale excise tax and a 10 percent retail excise tax on the sale of marijuana for recreational use by department-issued permit holders,” it says.
Identical bills to facilitate the budget requests have been filed in both the Senate and Assembly.
In addition to legalizing cannabis for adult use, Evers is proposing to include delta-8, delta-10 THC and other intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids in the definition of marijuana to “ensure their production, processing and sale is regulated and not available to individuals under 21.”
Further, the governor is calling for the the Department of Revenue the enter into agreements with tribal territories “for the refund to tribes of marijuana excise taxes estimated to be collected from sales on tribal lands,” similar to current policy with tobacco products.
The companion bills that were filed in tandem with the governor’s budget request stipulate that all revenue collected from the proposed cannabis taxes will be deposited into the state general fund.
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