2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE
January 5, 2004 - Introduced by Representatives Honadel, Stone, Taylor, Ladwig,
Vrakas, Pettis, Ott, Hines
and Cullen, cosponsored by Senators Darling,
Lazich
and Coggs. Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice.
AB715,1,4 1An Act to amend 59.54 (25), 349.02 (2) (b) 4. and 961.577; and to create 59.54
2(25m), 778.25 (1) (a) 1m. and 818.02 (8) of the statutes; relating to: ordinances
3in certain counties regarding drug paraphernalia and the possession of
4marijuana.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
County ordinances regarding drug paraphernalia
Current law prohibits the possession, manufacture, and delivery of drug
paraphernalia. If a person 17 years of age or older violates the prohibitions relating
to drug paraphernalia, he or she is subject to criminal penalties (a fine or
imprisonment or both). If a person under the age of 17 violates the prohibitions
relating to drug paraphernalia, he or she is generally subject to suspension or
revocation of his or her privilege to operate a motor vehicle for not less than six
months nor more than five years and either or both of the following: a forfeiture (civil
monetary penalty) of up to $500 (with the amount depending on how many drug
paraphernalia offenses the person committed in the preceding 12 months) and a
requirement that he or she participate in community service work. Current law
prohibits and provides more severe criminal penalties for the possession or use of
drug paraphernalia used to produce or store methamphetamine.
Current law also allows a city, village, or town to enact and enforce ordinances
prohibiting the possession, manufacture, or delivery of drug paraphernalia. The
ordinances must prohibit the same conduct that is prohibited under the state

statutes relating to the possession, manufacture, and delivery of drug paraphernalia
generally (as opposed to the state statutes governing the possession or use of
methamphetamine-related drug paraphernalia). In addition, the ordinances can
apply only to the possession, manufacture, and delivery of drug paraphernalia by a
person under the age of 17.
This bill allows a county with a population of 500,000 or more (currently only
Milwaukee County) to enact and enforce an ordinance prohibiting the possession,
manufacture, or delivery of drug paraphernalia (other than
methamphetamine-related drug paraphernalia) by persons 17 years of age and
older. The ordinance must prohibit the same conduct that is prohibited under the
state statutes relating to the possession, manufacture, and delivery of drug
paraphernalia generally. A prosecutor could then charge a person aged 17 years or
older for violating either the ordinance or the state statutes. A person prosecuted for
violating an ordinance enacted under this bill would be subject to a forfeiture in an
amount established by the ordinance instead of being subject to the criminal
penalties provided under the state statutes.
County ordinances regarding possession of marijuana
Current law prohibits the possession of marijuana. A person who violates this
prohibition is subject to criminal penalties. Current law, however, also permits a
county or municipality to enact and enforce an ordinance prohibiting the possession
of 25 grams or less of marijuana. The penalty for violating such an ordinance is a
forfeiture. If a municipality enacts such an ordinance, any comparable ordinance
enacted by the county does not apply in that municipality ("reverse preemption").
This bill specifies that the reverse preemption provision only applies in a county
with a population of less than 500,000. If a county has a population of 500,000 or
more, any county ordinance prohibiting the possession of 25 grams or less of
marijuana applies in every municipality within the county.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB715, s. 1 1Section 1. 59.54 (25) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB715,3,52 59.54 (25) Possession of marijuana. The board may enact and enforce an
3ordinance to prohibit the possession of 25 grams or less of marijuana, as defined in
4s. 961.01 (14), subject to the exceptions in s. 961.41 (3g) (intro.), and provide a
5forfeiture for a violation of the ordinance; except that any person who is charged with
6possession of more than 25 grams of marijuana, or who is charged with possession
7of any amount of marijuana following a conviction for possession of marijuana, in this

1state shall not be prosecuted under this subsection. Any ordinance enacted under
2this subsection by a county with a population of less than 500,000 does not apply in
3any municipality that has enacted an ordinance prohibiting the possession of
4marijuana. Any ordinance enacted under this subsection by a county with a
5population of 500,000 or more applies in every municipality within the county.
AB715, s. 2 6Section 2. 59.54 (25m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB715,3,117 59.54 (25m) Drug paraphernalia. The board of a county with a population of
8500,000 or more may enact an ordinance to prohibit conduct that is the same as that
9prohibited by s. 961.573 (1) or (2), 961.574 (1) or (2), or 961.575 (1) or (2) and provide
10a forfeiture for violation of the ordinance. The board may enforce an ordinance
11enacted under this subsection in any municipality within the county.
AB715, s. 3 12Section 3. 349.02 (2) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB715,3,1413 349.02 (2) (b) 4. Local ordinances enacted under s. 59.54 (25) or (25m), 60.23
14(21), or 66.0107 (1) (bm).
AB715, s. 4 15Section 4. 778.25 (1) (a) 1m. of the statutes is created to read:
AB715,3,1816 778.25 (1) (a) 1m. Under a local ordinance enacted under s. 59.54 (25m) brought
17against an adult in circuit court or against a minor in the court assigned to exercise
18jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938.
AB715, s. 5 19Section 5. 818.02 (8) of the statutes is created to read:
AB715,3,2120 818.02 (8) In an action for a forfeiture under a local ordinance enacted under
21s. 59.54 (25m).
AB715, s. 6 22Section 6. 961.577 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB715,4,2 23961.577 Municipal ordinances. Nothing in this subchapter precludes a city,
24village, or town from prohibiting conduct that is the same as that prohibited by s.
25961.573 (2), 961.574 (2), or 961.575 (2) or a county with a population of 500,000 or

1more from prohibiting conduct that is the same as that prohibited by s. 961.573 (1)
2or (2), 961.574 (1) or (2), or 961.575 (1) or (2)
.
AB715,4,33 (End)
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