Mark Spreitzer (D) Senate District 15 Candidate Questionnaire Answers
Full Name
Mark Spreitzer
Date
7/02/26
Phone Number
608-313-4509
Office Sought:
State Senate – District 15
Do you currently or have you previously held public office?
Yes, I am the incumbent, running for my second term. I previously served in the State Assembly for 8 years and on the Beloit City Council for 4 years.
Is there any cannabis related legislation you have sponsored, co-sponsored, or publicly supported? Would you like to provide a brief statement about your stance on cannabis reform?
I co-sponsored 2025 Senate Bill 1045, the Johnson/Madison comprehensive cannabis legalization bill, which would have legalized cannabis for both medical and responsible adult use. The bill would have protected existing hemp farmers and small businesses by affirming the ability to directly sell low-dose cannabis products, such as those derived from hemp. The bill would also have provided expungement for people convicted of cannabis possession in the past. In addition to SB 1045, I co-sponsored Senate Bill 644, the Johnson/Sinicki bill to provide reasonable age limits, testing, and labeling requirements for intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid products. After Senate Bill 682, the Kurtz/Testin HDC regulatory bill, was introduced, I supported that bill while still working to amend it to make testing requirements less burdensome for small-batch producers. I voted for SB 682 as a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue. In the next session, I strongly support taking swift action to protect Wisconsin’s hemp industry in the face of federal prohibition, including both industrial hemp and hemp-derived cannabinoid products. I also strongly support full cannabis legalization, with associated criminal justice reforms. I support structuring our cannabis regulations to protect existing hemp-based small businesses that have grown under the 2018 Farm Bill. We should ensure that Wisconsin’s future cannabis industry has room for Wisconsin-based small businesses and strong labor protections, and is not overrun by out-of-state monopolies. I support giving consumers a variety of choices in how to access cannabis and cannabinoid products while having appropriate safeguards so consumers know what they are getting and so that age-limited products don’t fall into the hands of children.
Do you think individual states should keep their laws in line with federal laws regarding the legalization of cannabis?
No
Do you support ending federal prohibition of cannabis?
Yes
Do you support regulating the HDC (hemp derived cannabinoid) market created under the Industrial Hemp Program / Federal Farm Bill?
Yes
If answered YES to the above question about regulating HDC’s, would you support the 2025-26 legislation Senate Bill 682 and Asseembly Bill 747, commonly known as the Testin/Kurtz HDC Reg Bill?
Yes
Do you support legalizing and regulating the responsible use of cannabis by adults in the state of Wisconsin?
Yes
Would you support a two year moratorium implementing any excise tax to evaluate true administration/regulation costs before automatically attaching an exise tax to a regulation program?
Unsure – I Have Questions
If you support an excise tax above and beyond what is needed to administer a regulation program, what percentage of excise tax do you feel is appropriate? Where do you think excise tax should be spent?
I am open minded on this issue and happy to engage in further conversation with stakeholders. The state has numerous financial needs from child care and public school funding to public health, however I also do not want to see an overly burdensome excise tax that limits responsible businesses and promotes a black market. I also believe we must consider the fair treatment of hemp-derived low dose cannabinoid products that currently are not subject to an excise tax and not pull the rug out from under an industry that is already fighting for its life.
Do you think cannabis should be classified as a Schedule 1 drug?
No
Do you support medical use of cannabis in the State of Wisconsin?
Yes
If you support medical use of cannabis, do you also support patient’s rights to cultivate their own medicine or assign caregivers to do it for them?
Yes
Do you support decriminalization of cannabis in the State of Wisconsin?
Yes
Do you support automatic expungement of non-violent cannabis possession convictions?
Yes
Would you (join, support or not support) The Wisconsin Cannabis Caucus
Join
Is there anything that we have missed or that you would like more information on, please do not hesitate to ask. If you are interested in speaking with a stakeholder in the industry or participating in any election coverage events such as farm or production tours, webinars, zoom town halls or if you are willing to host a hemp cannabis specific event in your district, please provide additional information below:
I would be happy to participate in farm or production tours or host a hemp cannabis specific event in my district. Please feel free to connect with me about ideas.
Where is Senate District 15?
The 15th Senate district of Wisconsin is located in southern Wisconsin, the district comprises most of Rock County and parts of northwest Walworth County and southern Jefferson County. It includes the cities of Janesville, Beloit, Edgerton, Evansville, Milton, and Whitewater.
You can find out more about the campaign for Mark Spreitzer for Wisconsin State Senate by visiting the following links:
Official Campaign Website: https://www.markforwi.com/
Official Campaign Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/markforwi
