US Hemp Roundtable: Legislative moves in Alabama, California, Connecticut and Texas

Alabama – Three key bills:

• SB 132 aims to classify hemp-derived THC products as controlled substances. Oppose this bill!
• HB 445 would limit hemp beverages to 5mg THC per serving and restrict sales to liquor stores. Oppose this bill! 
• SB 255 creates a regulated market with a 6% tax to support consumer safety. Support this bill!

California –  AB 8 was amended to effectively ban retail sales of hemp products, forcing them into dispensaries. More action coming soon.

Connecticut – Two new bills:

• HB 7178 establishes a task force to enforce cannabis and hemp regulations.
• SB 970 updates hemp definitions and regulations, allowing some low-THC products to be sold without licensing.

More action coming soon.

Texas –

SB 3 would ban nearly every hemp product currently available. Oppose this bill!

HB 4242 provides common-sense regulations  for hemp sales, including e-commerce. Support this bill!

We need your help to protect the hemp industry in these states. If you live or own a business in any of these states, please use our State Action Center to urge lawmakers to oppose these bills.

Alabama’s HB 445 is a new bill that sets a new regulatory framework for consumable hemp products, placing this regulation under the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.  As written, hemp beverages and consumable products would be limited to 5mg THC per serving, while all other hemp products would be limited to 0.3% total THC on a dry weight basis.  The bill also restricts the retail sale of consumable hemp products to existing liquor stores and other locations that are inaccessible to minors. Please use our State Action Center to urge lawmakers to oppose SB 445.

Alabama’s SB 255 is also a newly-introduced bill that establishes a regulatory framework for the sale and distribution of hemp products under the authority of the state’s Department of Revenue. A 6% tax would be levied on the sale of all cannabinoid products and the proceeds would fund the new Novel Cannabinoid Safety Fund.  All retail licensure fees, civil penalties, and tax proceeds would be deposited into this fund to protect the public from unregulated cannabinoid products. Please use our State Action Center to urge lawmakers to support SB 225.

If you live or own a business in Alabama, please use our State Action Center to email your legislators in opposition of SB 132 and SB 445, and in support of SB 225.

Connecticut also saw the recent introduction of SB 970, which redefines “marijuana” to exclude certain hemp products and naturally manufactured hemp cannabinoids. The bill also defines “low-THC hemp product” as a product with one-half of one milligram or less of THC on a per-container basis. Additionally, the bill sets strict guidelines for the packaging, labeling, and advertising of hemp products. Licensed entities are permitted to sell high-THC hemp products and naturally manufactured hemp cannabinoids to specific licensed facilities within the state as well as to entities outside of the state, provided they adhere to federal THC concentration limits. Certain low-THC hemp products are exempt from licensing requirements for retail and wholesale sales, provided they are sourced from authorized manufacturers.

In Texas, HB 4242 establishes a common sense regulatory framework for the sale, distribution, delivery, and production of hemp and hemp-related products.  The bill would allow for the sale of hemp and hemp products via e-commerce and regulate testing and packaging to ensure consumer safety.  We are hoping to see this emerge as the House alternative to SB 3, which passed the Senate this week, and would result in a complete ban of nearly every hemp product currently on the marketplace.

If you live or own a business in Texas, please use our State Action Center to email your legislator in opposition of SB3 and in support of HB 4242.