INDUSTRY UPDATES

April 25, 2025

Bill Updates in Three States: California, Florida, and Rhode Island

Use our State Action Center to contact lawmakers and protect the future of hemp in your state.

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A big thank you to all hemp supporters for taking action to ensure that harmful bills, which would have been detrimental to the hemp industry in their respective states, did not become law!

California

Governor Gavin Newsom has a budget shortfall in California – and he’s made it worse by banning hemp products. The California Department of Finance announced in its monthly Finance bulletin this week that sales and use tax revenue was $326 million below projections for the 2024-25 fiscal year. This follows emergency regulations the Governor announced in September of 2024 that effectively banned hemp products in California. Last year, it was estimated that revenue from hemp CBD products in California were approximately $21 million per month. The tax revenue from hemp CBD products would have shrunk the sales tax revenue shortfall if hemp products were still allowed to be sold in California. Please use our State Action Center to urge Governor Newsom to bring hemp products back to California.

California Action Center

Florida

SB 438, the highly restrictive Senate version, passed the Senate floor last week and has been sent to the House for negotiations.

HB 7027 was amended and heard in committee on Wednesday, incorporating several changes requested by the Roundtable, though additional modifications are still needed. Updates of particular note include the following:

  • Beverage Dosing: This bill indicates beverages may contain no more than 5mg of THC per 6 fluid ounces, no more than 10mg of THC per container, and no more than 100mg per package.
  • Inhalable Dosing: Inhalables cannot contain a ratio of more than 2.5 mg of THC per gram and more than 5mg per inhalable.
  • Edibles Dosing: Edibles are limited to 2.5 mg THC per gram, and 5mg per serving and packages may not contain more than 100mg.
  • Tinctures: The new version of the bill does not contemplate tinctures.
  • Repealed 2029 dosage reductions  – this version deletes the section that included new, stricter milligram limits beginning on January 1, 2029.
  • Online Sales and Delivery: Direct to Consumer (DTC) is permitted along the lines of the Roundtable’s policy proposal. This bill requires persons outside of Florida who engage in delivery sales to consumers in Florida to have a permit. Additionally, delivery services requirements now include proof that the person accepting the order for delivery is age 21 or older and resides at the address listed on the order label. This may be proven via a valid government-issued identification that includes the photograph of the person accepting delivery.
  • Where consumable hemp THC products may be sold:
    • The earlier provision that banned sales at convenience stores was deleted.
    • Products may be sold at festivals, fairs, trade shows, farmers’ markets, exhibitions, or pop-up retail establishments that are at events for persons age 21 and older. The vendors must have a food permit from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
    • This bill prohibits consumption of the product on retailer premises and requires retailers to immediately notify the consumer to leave the retailer’s premises if found consuming the product.

Finally, this bill provides a “safe haven” for products for sale out of state, but requires the packaging to indicate that the product is “NOT FOR USE OR RETAIL SALE IN FLORIDA” and the product must be kept separately from products intended to be sold in the state.

Florida Action Center

Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, SB 984 would provide for robust regulation of hemp beverage products.  The bill does include some positive elements, such as requiring that advertising must not appeal to children and requiring individuals to be age 21 or older to purchase THC-infused beverages. Unfortunately, however, the bill implicitly bans direct-to-consumer sales by requiring sales of THC-infused beverages to occur on the premises of registered retailers. Please use our State Action Center to urge lawmakers to amend this bill.

Rhode Island Action Center

Visit our State Action Center to see active campaigns across the country!

State Action Center

Check out the latest hemp and CBD updates from across the states!