INDUSTRY UPDATES
March 26, 2019
Hemp Moving Forward in Florida
We are excited to report some real progress for hemp and hemp-derived CBD in the Sunshine State. Yesterday, the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously passed SB 1020 which promotes the cultivation, handling, processing, and sale of hemp, and confirms the legality of the retail sale of hemp products, such as hemp-derived CBD.
During the committee meeting, a number of groups and individuals joined the U.S. Hemp Roundtable in voicing support for the legislation. The bill moves next to the Senate Rules Committee, the last stop before heading to the Senate Floor for a final vote. While the legislation has a ways to go, we are grateful to our bill sponsors, Senator Rob Bradley and Senator Ben Albritton.
Today, the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee will consider HB 333, the first of three House committee hearings. The House committee is expected to consider an amendment that does not include the sale of hemp products. However, the Roundtable’s lobbyists on the ground will continue to work with the bill sponsors, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and other interested parties to further amend that into the House bill. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of Florida’s Hemp legislation or to periodically check the status, please go to http://www.flsenate.gov/ and enter bill # 1020 and https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/ and enter bill # 333.
If you live in Florida, please also use our State Action Center – urge your legislators to support legislation promoting the hemp industry in the Sunshine State. If you don’t live in Florida, please share our Action Center with your friends and colleagues that do!
