Assembly Bill 891
Possession of tetrahydrocannabinols, and providing a penalty. (FE)
Stopped in committee
It never got a , so it never came up for a vote. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Mar 27, 2014
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. No public hearing was held.
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Assembly vote, not reached
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Senate vote, not reached
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Governor, not reached
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Law, not reached
Latest entry in the official record, May 22, 2014: “Fiscal estimate received”
It never got a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice. See every bill that never got a hearing this session.
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Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
What it would have done
Summary by the , the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.
Under current law, a person may not possess marijuana or another substance containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In general, a person who violates this prohibition is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be fined not more than $1,000, imprisoned for not more than six months, or both. A person who commits a second or subsequent violation is guilty of a Class I felony and may be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned for up to three years and six months, or both. Current law also authorizes counties and municipalities to enact ordinances prohibiting the possession of 25 grams or less of marijuana. A violation of such an ordinance is a civil offense punishable by a forfeiture (a civil fine). The ordinance, however, cannot be used to prosecute a person who has previously been convicted of possessing marijuana.
Under this bill, a person who commits a first offense of possession of THC commits a civil offense, punishable by a forfeiture of not less than $150 nor more than $300. Under the bill, a person who commits a second offense of possession of THC is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor and may be fined up to $500, imprisoned for up to 30 days, or both. A person who commits a third offense is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, and may be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned for up to nine months, or both. Under the bill, a person who commits a fourth or subsequent possession of THC offense, or who has been convicted of a prior crime related to any controlled substance except possession of THC, is guilty of a Class I felony and may be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned for up to three years and six months, or both.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill allows a county or municipality to enact ordinances that make the first possession of any amount of marijuana a civil offense, punishable by a forfeiture. The ordinance, however, cannot be used to prosecute a person who has committed a prior offense of possessing THC.
Similarly, the bill provides that a person under 17 years of age (juvenile) who is found to have committed a first violation of possession of THC is subject to the dispositions specified in the Juvenile Justice Code for a juvenile who violates a civil law rather than to the delinquency dispositions specified in the Juvenile Justice Code for a juvenile who violates a criminal law. Under the bill, a juvenile who is found to have committed a first violation of possession of THC may be ordered to pay a forfeiture not to exceed $50 or to participate in a teen court program, in community service work, or in an alcohol or other drug abuse treatment or education program.
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to result if the bill is enacted.
Who's behind it
10 lawmakers are its . All 10 are Democrats.
1 more lawmaker .
See all 11 names Hide the names
Authors (10)
- Mandela Barnes · Democrat, Assembly
- Terese Berceau · Democrat, Assembly
- Evan Goyke · Democrat, Assembly
- Gary Hebl · Democrat, Assembly
- Brett Hulsey · Democrat, Assembly
- LaTonya Johnson · Democrat, Senate
- Sandy Pasch · Democrat, Assembly
- Sondy Pope · Democrat, Assembly
- Melissa Sargent · Democrat, Assembly
- Christine Sinicki · Democrat, Assembly
Signed on in support (1)
- Lena Taylor · Democrat, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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May 22, 2014
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Apr 9, 2014
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Apr 8, 2014
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Apr 4, 2014
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Mar 27, 2014
Sent to the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice.
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Mar 27, 2014
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Mar 27, 2014 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Goyke, Johnson, Barnes, Hebl, Sinicki, Sargent, Hulsey, Pope, Berceau and Pasch; cosponsored by Senator L. Taylor
- Mar 27, 2014 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice
- Apr 4, 2014 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Apr 8, 2014 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
- Apr 9, 2014 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- May 22, 2014 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
Terms on this page
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1. More in the glossary
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis. More in the glossary
Author
A lawmaker who formally puts a bill forward. The text itself is drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Official term: Author, coauthor. More in the glossary
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor. More in the glossary
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate. More in the glossary
From the Wisconsin Legislature's official record, checked Sep 15, 2026. See the source
Committee
A small group of lawmakers that looks at a bill first. Most bills never leave committee.
Public hearing
A meeting where anyone can speak to a committee about a bill, or send written comments.
Senate Joint Resolution 1
The session's calendar. Any bill not passed by its last voting day dies.
Official term: Failed to pass pursuant to SJR 1
Legislative Reference Bureau
The Legislature's nonpartisan office that drafts bills and writes the summary at the top of each one.
Official term: LRB analysis
Signed on in support
Lawmakers who back a bill without being one of its authors, often from the other chamber.
Official term: Cosponsor
Cost estimate
A state agency's estimate of what a bill would cost or save.
Official term: Fiscal estimate