Hemp Progress in Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Washington State

It’s been a wild week for hemp across the nation, with state legislative victories piling up every day. In just this past week, we saw progress in four major states:

Iowa: After a local county attorney announced a March crackdown on CBD products, Senate File 599 was introduced that would bring Iowa into hemp growing and provides protections from the Roundtable’s Model State Act for hemp-derived CBD products. Initial language that required retail products to comply with the Food Drug & Cosmetics Act was modified to only require a vaguer compliance with federal law. The House floor leader, listening closely to Roundtable representatives, made clear on video here that this bill was intended to make retail sale of hemp-derived CBD legal. Senate File 599 passed the House on 4/24 with only one no vote and the Senate on 4/25 with only one no vote. On to the Governor’s desk!

Washington State: Senate Bill 5276 passed the Senate unanimously on 4/15 and the House unanimously on 4/24. After an aggressive grassroots and grasstops lobbying campaign, it was amended to permit the sale of hemp-derived CBD as tinctures and oils. However, food additives will not be permitted until the FDA explicitly permits them. Onto the Governor’s desk!

Oklahoma: After an aggressive Roundtable lobbying effort, Senate Bill 238 was amended on 4/9 to ensure the retail sale of hemp-derived CBD, using the Model State Act language. It passed the floor of the House on a 99-1 vote on 4/24. Now, it needs concurrence of Senate sponsor before it moves to bill signing.

–>Sooners — please use our portal to contact your state Senators to secure final passage.

Texas: House Bill 1325 (PDF) — based on the Roundtable’s Model State Act, would launch a hemp growth program in Texas and provide belt-and-suspenders protection for hemp products like CBD. The bill was amended this week to ensure that labeling requirements only applied to CBD and not hemp seed and stalk products. It passed the House of Representatives unanimously on 4/23. Onto the Senate!

–> Longhorns and Aggies and Red Raiders and …. : please use our portal to contact your state Senators to secure final passage.

Always remember, when we raise our voices and share the facts — WE WIN!