Assembly Bill 503
The definition of hemp. (FE)
Stopped in committee
It had a but no committee vote, so it never came up for a vote. The last day for votes this session was Mar 19, 2026. To try again, a lawmaker would have to start a new bill.
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Introduced, passed
Oct 9, 2025
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Committee, stopped here
Stopped here. It had a hearing but no committee vote.
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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, Mar 23, 2026: “Failed to pass pursuant to ”
It sat with the Assembly Committee on State Affairs.
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The same bill was also filed in the Senate as SB 499. That version died when the session ended.
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, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a controlled substance, the possession, manufacture, delivery, and distribution of which are criminal offenses under the state’s Controlled Substances Act. Current law exempts hemp from the definition of THC. “Hemp” is defined under current law as “the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis or the maximum concentration allowed under federal law up to 1 percent, whichever is greater, as tested using post-decarboxylation or other similarly reliable methods.” The current law definition of “hemp” clarifies that it does not include a prescription drug product that has been approved by the U.S. food and drug administration.
This bill changes the definition of hemp and, as a result, what is exempted from the definition of THC under the state’s Controlled Substances Act. The bill defines “hemp” as “the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a total tetrahydrocannabinol concentration, including tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, of not more than 0.3 percent in the plant on a dry weight basis.” The bill, like current law, also clarifies that “hemp” does not include a prescription drug product that has been approved by the U.S. food and drug administration.
Read the full summary Show less
The bill also provides that the definition of “hemp” includes industrial hemp and defines “industrial hemp” as hemp grown for the use of the stalk; hemp grown for the use of the whole grain, oil, cake, nut, hull, or any other product from the seeds of the plant; hemp grown for purposes of producing microgreens or other edible hemp leaf products derived from an immature, low-THC plant; hemp plants that do not enter the stream of commerce and that are intended to support hemp research at an institution of higher education or independent research institute; and hemp that is grown for the use of a viable seed that is produced solely to produce any of the previously mentioned products or uses.
The bill provides that the definition of “hemp” does not include a viable cannabis seed that has a total THC concentration, including tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, of more than 0.3 percent in the plant on a dry weight basis. In addition, under the bill, the definition of “hemp” does not include a hemp-derived cannabinoid product that contains a cannabinoid that is not capable of being naturally produced by a cannabis plant; a cannabinoid that is capable of being naturally produced by a cannabis plant but that is synthesized or manufactured outside of the plant; or a quantifiable amount of THC or other cannabinoid that has similar effects or is marketed to have similar effects on humans or animals as THC.
The bill defines “hemp-derived cannabinoid product” as “an intermediate or final product that is derived from hemp other than industrial hemp, that contains cannabinoids in any form, and that is intended for human or animal use through any means of application or administration, including inhalation, ingestion, or topical application.” The bill clarifies that “hemp-derived cannabinoid product” does not include a prescription drug product that has been approved by the U.S. food and drug administration.
Who's behind it
10 representatives are its . All 10 are Republicans.
4 more lawmakers .
See all 14 names Hide the names
Authors (10)
- Elijah Behnke · Republican, Assembly
- Lindee Brill · Republican, Assembly
- Barbara Dittrich · Republican, Assembly
- Bob Donovan · Republican, Assembly
- Rick Gundrum · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Maxey · Republican, Assembly
- Dave Murphy · Republican, Assembly
- Jerry O'Connor · Republican, Assembly
- Jim Piwowarczyk · Republican, Assembly
- Chuck Wichgers · Republican, Assembly
Signed on in support (4)
- André Jacque · Republican, Senate
- Chris Kapenga · Republican, Senate
- Steve Nass · Republican, Senate
- Van Wanggaard · Republican, Senate
What it would cost
State agencies filed a . Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.
What happened
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Mar 23, 2026
The session ended, and the bill died with it.
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Dec 30, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Dec 4, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 26, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 11, 2025
A state agency sent in its estimate of the cost.
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Nov 4, 2025
The committee held a public hearing.
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Oct 9, 2025
Sent to the Assembly Committee on State Affairs.
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Oct 9, 2025
Introduced in the Assembly.
See the official record, word for word Hide the official record
- Oct 9, 2025 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Brill, Piwowarczyk, Wichgers, Donovan, Behnke, Dittrich, Gundrum, Maxey, O'Connor and Murphy; cosponsored by Senators Kapenga, Wanggaard, Jacque and Nass
- Oct 9, 2025 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs
- Nov 4, 2025 · Assembly
Public hearing held
- Nov 11, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Nov 26, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Dec 4, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Dec 30, 2025 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 23, 2026 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
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