Sturgeon Bay has already acted to relax marijuana penalties. Possession within a person's primary residence no longer carries any consequence. In public, fines have been reduced. With decriminalization being debated in Madison, Councilman Seth Wiederanders says nothing further can be done at the local level.

Legislation under consideration in the State Assembly would decriminalize all marijuana possession under 25 grams, including possession in public places. Proponents of decriminalization say that it will alleviate the disparate impact current laws have on minority populations.