2023-24: Joint Finance Committee Members

The Joint Committee on Finance (or Joint Finance Committee, JFC) could be the most important committees of the Wisconsin Legislature. It is responsible for writing the biennial state budget. It has the authority to approve requests for funding, agency position authority, and state lawsuit settlements.

The committee is 16 members and has an equal number of members from the Assembly and Senate. The Republican Party nearly holds two-thirds legislative majorities in both houses and Republican caucus leaders are able to appoint most of the members of the committee.

Assembly Members

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) appointed the following members:

• Mark Born (R), Co-Chair; Rep. Born has been somewhat quiet regarding his support for medical marijuana reform and comes in as a late co-sponsor to the Republican bill to create a medical marijuana program in 2019-20, but was absent from any attempts in 2021-22. Mark Born is an American law enforcement officer. Born was unopposed in the 2022 election.
• Terry Katsma (R), Vice-Chair (new vice-chair); Katsma said he is not in favor of legalization of recreational marijuana but noted the reports of people who benefit from medical use. Bills that have been introduced around medical use could be looked at, Katsma said, but more studies need to be done.
• Shannon Zimmerman (R); Zimmerman is not new to talking about marijuana reform this legislative session. He, fellow Republican Rob Stafsholt, R-New Richmond and Democratic Senator Patty Schachtner hashed out marijuana reform in their districts in February of 2019.  2019 Spring Survey sponsored by the GOP Assembly Representatives. In the spring of 2019 after overwhelming support in the Wisconsin public marijuana referendums the previous fall, many of the Assembly GOP members held a spring survey which was posted online and sent in the email to people on their mailing list. The results of Assembly Representative Shannon Zimmerman (R-River Falls) spring survey are not surprising as 76.48% of his district supported medical marijuana.
• Tony Kurtz (R); October 2018: On the topic of marijuana legalization, Kurtz said he’s against marijuana for recreational use. “A lot of people are intrigued by the dollar signs and the revenue they can get from that,” Kurtz said, adding there were drawbacks to legalization as well.  Oct 2018 He noted he would be open to medicinal use of marijuana if hemp proved ineffective. He is a hemp farmer, or at least tried one year… he is pretty quite about everything.
• Jessie Rodriguez (R); Rep. Rodriguez now says she can support medical “if” so long it was not used to legalize recreational marijuana. Opposed to recreational marijuana and sites the gateway theory and sites law enforcement concerns of medical diversion to the the recreational market.
• Alex Dallman (R) (new to JFC); Dallman said “My current stance on Marijuana Reform would be against legalization of recreational use. I am also currently opposed to medicinal, but I am more open to exploring this side of it.” He added on the topic of decriminalization: “For simple possession of small amount, I am in favor.” Wi Eye interviewed Alex Dallman on July 9; in which Dallman added the “slippery slope” theory to his list opposition, stating he is worried medical marijuana leads quickly to recreational marijuana”.  08/11/2020 On the campaign trail he said one thing, than after elected he turned into a prohibitionist. He said until the County Sheriffs on board he is not even supporting decriminalization.

Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) appointed the following members:

• Evan Goyke (D)
• Tip McGuire (D) (new to JFC)

Senate Members

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) appointed the following members:

• Howard Marklein (R), Co-Chair; After serving 12+ years in the legislature, Republican Senator Marklein has not really moved on his stance and has blocked reform efforts every chance he could.
• Duey Stroebel (R), Vice-Chair; Most recent email from the Senator Stroebel: “I’m opposed to the legalization of marijuana for any use. Many studies have shown that marijuana may lead to the use of other drugs and a destructive lifestyle. There are currently clinically approved pain therapy methods that do not have the same negative effects as marijuana.” In the past he has issued press statements opposing reform and is always a vocal hater of the cannabis plant, even voting NO to Industrial Hemp. Senator Stroebel has blocked bills from public hearings as committee chair. Stroebel is up for re-election in 2024.
• Mary Felzkowski (R); She is fighting an uphill battle for her legislation she authored to start a medical marijuana program in 2019.   She has sponsored a bill consecutive sessions, giving multiple positive news statements and understands a great deal about the topic of marijuana reform.  Her willingness to learn more and all the extra credit she is doing helps secure her solid rating with activists. Senator Felzkowski is up for re-election in 2024.
• Joan Ballweg (R); Rep. Ballweg seemed sympathetic back in 2009 while the Republicans were in the minority under a Dem controlled legislature. 2010 changed as Republicans took control and basically killed everything marijuana related, always. Since then, Rep. Ballweg has really failed on the issue. NOTE: Advisory Referendums on Marijuana in 2018 passed 78% in Marquette County and 80% in Sauk County and Rep. Ballweg Constituent Surveys in 2019 had 73-83% support for marijuana reform. Ballweg is up for re-election in 2024.
• Patrick Testin (R) (new to JFC); Medical Marijuana legislation with home grows and smoking products is supported and co-sponsored in the Senate by Republican Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point). Testin is the first Republican to have signed their name to a medical marijuana bill in nearly two decades. Senator Testin is up for re-election in 2024.
• Eric Wimberger (R) (new to JFC); Wimberger ran in 2014 for State Assembly (lost by 18% points) and who also ran for the Wisconsin State Senate for District 30 in 2016 and only lost by 3% points will try for State Senate again in 2020 as the incumbent retires. He joined the Political Radar crew to in 2016 to discuss several key issues that are emerging in Wisconsin. They discuss the viability of marijuana legalization in Wisconsin and its challenges.  And in 2020 “It is just a plant” came from Wimbergers lips.  What does that tell us.  Over the years this candidate has made several public statements about marijuana reform in interviews. Senator Wimberger is up for re-election in 2024.

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard (D-Madison) appointed the following members:

• LaTonya Johnson (D)
• Kelda Roys (D) (new to JFC)

100% of the current Senate and Assembly Democrats have either authored, co-sponsored or publicly supported the legalization of marijuana.