Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes several changes to current law relating to industrial hemp.
The bill changes current law in the following ways so that it is consistent with
the 2018 federal farm bill:
1. Uses the term “hemp” instead of “industrial hemp” throughout current law
and defines “hemp” as “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
[THC] 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.” The bill also provides that “hemp” does not include a prescription drug
product approved by the U.S. food and drug administration.
2. Prohibits any person from producing hemp in this state without a license
from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection if required
under federal law.
3. Allows DATCP to establish procedures for all of the following: a) maintaining
information relating to hemp production; b) testing for THC concentrations in hemp;
c) disposing of hemp plants grown illegally; d) complying with enforcement
provisions; and e) conducting annual inspections of hemp producers.
4. Provides that a hemp producer who negligently violates the provisions of the
hemp program or DATCP's rules relating to the hemp program must comply with a
plan established by DATCP to correct the violation. A compliance plan must include
a reasonable date by which the hemp producer is required to correct the violation and
must require the hemp producer to report to DATCP periodically, for not less than
two years, on the status of the producer's compliance with the plan. A hemp producer
who negligently violates the provisions of the hemp program or DATCP's rules
relating to the hemp program may not be criminally prosecuted; a hemp producer
who negligently violates those provisions three times in a five-year period is
ineligible to participate in the hemp program for five years.
5. Requires DATCP to immediately report a hemp producer who violates the
provisions of the hemp program or DATCP's rules relating to the hemp program with
a culpable mental state that is greater than negligence to the Department of Justice
and the U.S. attorney general.

6. Prohibits a person who materially falsifies any information contained in an
application for the hemp program from participating in the hemp program.
7. Prohibits a person from producing hemp for ten years following a felony
conviction relating to a controlled substance under state or federal law, unless the
person holds a valid license under any state's hemp pilot program on the effective
date of the bill.
8. Redefines “marijuana,” for the purposes of the controlled substances act, to
exclude hemp.
9. Excludes THC contained in hemp from the list of Schedule I controlled
substances.
10. Changes the current hemp pilot program under DATCP to a permanent
program and sunsets the pilot program.
The bill also does the following relating to hemp:
1. Creates an appropriation from the general fund for the hemp program in the
2019-21 biennium, and increases funding to DATCP for the current 2018-19 fiscal
year for the purchase of machinery and other assets for the hemp program.
2. Allows DATCP to establish lower license fees for hemp licenses issued for
research or noncommercial purposes.
3. Allows DATCP to set criteria for approving persons to undertake any
sampling and testing of hemp that DATCP requires by rule and to approve persons
that meet the criteria.
4. Prohibits DATCP from requiring sampling and testing of hemp seedlings or
clones intended to be planted that originate from certified hemp seed or from hemp
seed or clones approved for growing by DATCP.
5. Requires DATCP to issue a fit for commerce certificate after hemp is tested,
or if DATCP determines that hemp is not required to be tested.
6. Allows a person, whose personally identifying information relating to the
hemp program is in DATCP's possession, to authorize the disclosure of that
information.
7. Requires all hemp producers to notify DATCP of the variety of hemp the
producer intends to grow, and prohibits a hemp producer from growing hemp unless
DATCP has approved that variety of hemp for growing in this state or that variety
of hemp has been certified by DATCP.
8. Prohibits a person from mislabeling hemp or a hemp product, knowingly
making an inaccurate claim about the content, quality, or origin of hemp or a hemp
product in the course of transferring or selling, or knowingly selling at retail
mislabeled hemp or hemp products.
9. Requires contracts to purchase hemp from a hemp grower to provide for
payment to the grower within seven days of taking possession of the hemp, unless
the grower voluntarily and knowingly agrees otherwise.
10. Adds hemp to the list of agricultural products that may not be grown by, or
grown on land owned by, a large corporation or trust.
11. Clarifies that THC contained in a CBD product is not a Schedule I controlled
substance if the THC and CBD concentration is at a level without a psychoactive
effect.

12. Changes the provision under current law that exempts a person from
prosecution for selling, transferring, processing, harvesting, or taking possession of
cannabis that is over the permissible THC concentration for hemp, so that the
exemption applies to cannabis that had been tested and certified, by DATCP or a
person approved by DATCP, as meeting the permissible THC concentration for
hemp, but that is in fact above the permissible limit, if the person has no reason to
believe that the certification is incorrect.
13. Provides that a person may not be prosecuted for temporarily possessing
cannabis that is above the permissible THC concentration for hemp during the
normal course of processing hemp if the cannabis is reconditioned or processed to
meet the permissible THC concentration limit for hemp within a reasonable amount
of time.
14. Provides that a person who purchases hemp or a hemp product may not be
prosecuted if the product is no more than 0.7 percent over the permissible THC limit
for hemp and if the person has no reason to believe that the product is over the
permissible THC limit for hemp.
15. Removes THC from the definition of “restricted controlled substance” as
applicable to the operation of a motor vehicle, an all-terrain vehicle, a utility terrain
vehicle, an off-highway motorcycle, a snowmobile, or a motorboat and the handling
of a firearm.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB188,1 1Section 1 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
2the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF - See PDF for table PDF - See PDF for table PDF
SB188,2 3Section 2 . 20.115 (7) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
SB188,4,54 20.115 (7) (f) Hemp. The amounts in the schedule for regulation of activities
5relating to hemp under s. 94.55.
SB188,3
1Section 3. 20.115 (7) (gc) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,5,32 20.115 (7) (gc) Industrial hemp Hemp; program fees. All moneys received under
3s. 94.55 for regulation of activities relating to industrial hemp under s. 94.55.
SB188,4 4Section 4 . 23.33 (1) (jo) 5. of the statutes is repealed.
SB188,5 5Section 5 . 23.33 (4c) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,5,126 23.33 (4c) (a) 5. `Defenses.' In an action under subd. 2m. that is based on the
7defendant allegedly having a detectable amount of methamphetamine , or
8gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in his or her blood,
9the defendant has a defense if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence
10that at the time of the incident or occurrence he or she had a valid prescription for
11methamphetamine or one of its metabolic precursors, or gamma-hydroxybutyric
12acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.
SB188,6 13Section 6 . 23.33 (4c) (b) 4. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,5,2014 23.33 (4c) (b) 4. b. In an action under subd. 2m. that is based on the defendant
15allegedly having a detectable amount of methamphetamine, or
16gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in his or her blood,
17the defendant has a defense if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence
18that at the time of the incident or occurrence he or she had a valid prescription for
19methamphetamine or one of its metabolic precursors, or gamma-hydroxybutyric
20acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.
SB188,7 21Section 7 . 23.335 (1) (zgm) 5. of the statutes is repealed.
SB188,8 22Section 8 . 23.335 (12) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,6,423 23.335 (12) (a) 5. In an action under subd. 2m. that is based on the defendant
24allegedly having a detectable amount of methamphetamine, or
25gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in his or her blood,

1the defendant has a defense if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence
2that at the time of the incident or occurrence he or she had a valid prescription for
3methamphetamine or one of its metabolic precursors, or gamma-hydroxybutyric
4acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.
SB188,9 5Section 9 . 23.335 (12) (b) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,6,126 23.335 (12) (b) 5. In an action under subd. 2m. that is based on the defendant
7allegedly having a detectable amount of methamphetamine, or
8gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in his or her blood,
9the defendant has a defense if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence
10that at the time of the incident or occurrence he or she had a valid prescription for
11methamphetamine or one of its metabolic precursors, or gamma-hydroxybutyric
12acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.
SB188,10 13Section 10 . 30.50 (10m) (e) of the statutes is repealed.
SB188,11 14Section 11 . 30.681 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,6,2115 30.681 (1) (d) Defenses. In an action under par. (b) 1m. that is based on the
16defendant allegedly having a detectable amount of methamphetamine , or
17gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in his or her blood,
18the defendant has a defense if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence
19that at the time of the incident or occurrence he or she had a valid prescription for
20methamphetamine or one of its metabolic precursors, or gamma-hydroxybutyric
21acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.
SB188,12 22Section 12 . 30.681 (2) (d) 1. b. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,7,423 30.681 (2) (d) 1. b. In an action under par. (b) 1m. that is based on the defendant
24allegedly having a detectable amount of methamphetamine, or
25gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in his or her blood,

1the defendant has a defense if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence
2that at the time of the incident or occurrence he or she had a valid prescription for
3methamphetamine or one of its metabolic precursors, or gamma-hydroxybutyric
4acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.
SB188,13 5Section 13 . 94.55 (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
SB188,7,6 694.55 (title) Hemp.
SB188,14 7Section 14 . 94.55 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,7,198 94.55 (1) Definition. In this section, “industrial hemp” means the plant
9Cannabis sativa, or L. and any part of the that plant , including the seeds, having
10thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of
11isomers, whether growing or not, with
a delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
12concentration of no not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis or the maximum
13concentration allowed under federal law up to 1 percent, whichever is greater.
14“Industrial hemp” includes a substance, material, or product only if it is designated
15as a controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act under 21 USC
16801 to 971 or the Uniform Controlled Substances Act under ch. 961 or both
, as tested
17using post-decarboxylation or other similarly reliable methods. “Hemp” does not
18include a prescription drug product that has been approved by the U.S. food and drug
19administration
.
SB188,15 20Section 15 . 94.55 (2) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,7,2121 94.55 (2) (title) Regulation of industrial hemp.
SB188,16 22Section 16 . 94.55 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,8,223 94.55 (2) (a) Subject to the provisions under this subsection section, a person
24may plant, grow, cultivate, harvest, produce, sample, test, process, transport,

1transfer, take possession of, sell, import, and export industrial hemp in this state to
2the greatest extent allowed under federal law.
SB188,17 3Section 17 . 94.55 (2) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
SB188,8,174 94.55 (2) (am) The department shall issue licenses to hemp producers if hemp
5producers are required to hold a license to produce hemp under federal law and if the
6secretary of the U.S. department of agriculture has approved this state's hemp
7program. If the department issues such licenses, no person may produce hemp
8without a license from the department. Licenses from the department may authorize
9the planting, growing, cultivating, harvesting, producing, sampling, testing,
10processing, transporting, transferring, taking possession, selling, importing, and
11exporting of hemp. The department shall identify the requirements for applying for
12a license, approving or denying a license, and suspending or revoking a license, and
13shall identify the restrictions and obligations that apply to operating under a license.
14The department may restrict license eligibility based on a violation reported under
15sub. (2m). The department shall accept license applications throughout the calendar
16year. The department may set license terms and may set late fees for license
17renewals.
SB188,18 18Section 18 . 94.55 (2) (b) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,8,2319 94.55 (2) (b) 2. Except as provided under subds. 3. to 6. and subs. (3) and (4)
20this section, rules promulgated under this paragraph section shall regulate the
21activities described in par. (a) only to the extent required under federal law, and in
22a manner that allows the people of this state to have the greatest possible
23opportunity to engage in those activities.
SB188,19 24Section 19 . 94.55 (2) (b) 2m. of the statutes is created to read:
SB188,8,2525 94.55 (2) (b) 2m. The department may establish all of the following:
SB188,9,3
1a. A practice to maintain relevant information regarding land on which hemp
2is produced in this state, including a legal description of the land, as defined by the
3department, for a period of not less than 3 years.
SB188,9,54 b. A procedure for testing, using post-decarboxylation or other similarly
5reliable methods, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration levels of hemp.
SB188,9,76 c. A procedure for the effective disposal of plants, whether growing or not, that
7are produced in violation of this section, and products derived from those plants.
SB188,9,98 d. A procedure to comply with the enforcement provisions under subs. (2g) and
9(2m).
SB188,9,1210 e. A procedure for conducting annual inspection of, at a minimum, a random
11sample of hemp producers to verify that hemp is not produced in violation of this
12section.
SB188,20 13Section 20 . 94.55 (2) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,9,2114 94.55 (2) (b) 3. The department shall promulgate rules, as the department
15determines to be
necessary, to ensure the quality of industrial hemp grown or
16processed
produced in this state, the security of activities related to industrial hemp,
17and the safety of products produced from industrial hemp, including any necessary
18testing; to ensure that the state's hemp program complies with federal law and to
19obtain and maintain any required federal approval of the state's hemp program;
to
20verify adherence to laws and rules governing activities related to industrial hemp;
21and to enforce violations of those laws and rules.
SB188,21 22Section 21 . 94.55 (2) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,9,2523 94.55 (2) (b) 4. The department shall require the payment of an initial fee from
24any person who plants, grows, or cultivates industrial produces hemp in this state
25equal to the greater of $150 or $5 multiplied by the number of acres on which the

1person will plant, grow, or cultivate industrial produce hemp, but not to exceed
2$1,000. The department may also impose an annual fee on any person whose
3activities related to industrial hemp are regulated by the department under this
4paragraph, in an amount not to exceed an amount sufficient to cover the costs to the
5department of regulating those activities, as determined by the department by rule.
6The department may establish lower initial and annual fees for licenses issued for
7research or noncommercial purposes.
SB188,22 8Section 22 . 94.55 (2) (b) 4g. of the statutes is created to read:
SB188,10,129 94.55 (2) (b) 4g. The department may set criteria for approving persons to
10undertake any sampling and testing required by the department by rule. The
11department shall approve persons that meet the criteria to the extent allowed under
12federal law.
SB188,23 13Section 23 . 94.55 (2) (b) 4m. of the statutes is created to read:
SB188,10,1814 94.55 (2) (b) 4m. When sampling and testing a crop of hemp, the department
15is not required to sample and test every growing location or every strain. The
16department may not require the sampling and testing of hemp seedlings or clones
17that are intended to be planted and that originated from hemp seed certified under
18par. (c) or from hemp seed or clones approved for growing under par. (f).
SB188,24 19Section 24 . 94.55 (2) (b) 4s. of the statutes is created to read:
SB188,10,2420 94.55 (2) (b) 4s. Following any required sampling and testing, or if the
21department determines that sampling and testing are not required, the department
22shall issue a certificate that states that the hemp has been tested or is not required
23to be tested for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration and is in compliance
24with this section and rules promulgated under this section.
SB188,25 25Section 25 . 94.55 (2) (b) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB188,11,5
194.55 (2) (b) 5. The department shall ensure that any of the following
2information that is in the department's possession relating to a licensee or applicant
3for a license under this section
is confidential and not open to public inspection or
4copying under s. 19.35 (1), except that it shall be made available to a law enforcement
5agency or law enforcement officer:
SB188,11,76 a. Information relating to the locations of industrial hemp fields and processing
7locations
production locations.
SB188,11,118 b. Personally identifiable information relating to a person who is lawfully
9engaging in activities related to industrial hemp , unless the person elects, during the
10application and licensing or renewal process, for the department to release any or all
11of the person's personally identifiable information
.
SB188,11,1412 c. Information obtained about an individual as a result of any criminal history
13search performed in relation to authorizing the individual to engage in activities
14related to industrial hemp.
SB188,11,1615 d. Any other information about activities related to industrial hemp that could
16create a security risk if disclosed.
SB188,26 17Section 26 . 94.55 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
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