WisconsinWatch.org (https://www.wisconsinwatch.org/author/guest-author/)
As Justice Shirley Abrahamson ends her tenure on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, after 43 years and more than 1,300 authored opinions, she leaves a rich legacy of legal scholarship, importantly including her support for government transparency.
Users of marijuana and its derivatives are everywhere — from children with serious illness to dogs, and in cities and a small town hair salon.
Writing rules has proven to be challenging; many communities that voted ‘yes’ to legalizing recreational marijuana now say ‘no’ to retail sales.
Even in states such as Colorado where cannabis has been legal for many years, not everyone is on board; New Jersey, New York fail to reach consensus on legalization.
Your May piece by Natalie Yahr about illegals detained at our border reinforces the growing argument that our media is doing this country no favors by continuing to cover the immigration issue from just one perspective, i.e. “us vs. them.”
Polls and referenda show Wisconsinites are warming to the idea of legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use. But not everyone is on board.
Some growers, boosted by the recent legalization of hemp, say the rapidly expanding industry could pave the way for medical or recreational marijuana.
When so much about politics is partisan, one might expect a topic like police body cameras to be contentious, particularly as it relates to public access to recordings.
Public support for cannabis is growing, but GOP lawmakers mostly oppose Gov. Tony Evers’ plan to legalize medical cannabis and possession of small amounts.
Wisconsin legislators are looking to reform current law governing the expungement of criminal records. Among other things, SB-39 would allow those convicted of crimes for which the maximum term of imprisonment is six years or less (including some felonies) to ask a judge to expunge their convictions even if they fail to do so at the time of sentencing, as is currently required. It would also allow those older than age 25 at the time of an offense to request expungement, and expressly provide that an expunged record cannot be considered a conviction for purposes of employment. The standard under present law would be carried forward, which lets judges grant expungement if they determine “that the person will benefit and society will not be harmed.”
The rationale for the bill, which has broad bipartisan support, is to give those who have made minor mistakes a fresh start, including supposedly enhanced employment opportunities. It is one of several current proposals to expand the availability of expungement.
They say what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, but when it comes to public records, the state Legislature doesn’t seem to believe in this principle.
Rapidly growing numbers of cases of chronic wasting disease are appearing on deer and elk farms and hunting ranches in Wisconsin at the same time the state has pulled back on rules and procedures designed to limit the spread of the fatal brain disease among its captive and wild deer.