State Hemp Study Bills

If you are a state legislator and would like more information on writing and passing a study bill like the ones below, please email us and we would be happy to help you. Please find more resources on writing study bills below.

Over the past fifteen years, many hemp study bills have been passed on the state level and more studies have been done on the state and national level on hemp farming and production in the U.S.

The process for introducing and passing a hemp study on the state level is relatively straightforward. State legislators are familiar with this process. However, just like the process of introducing a resolution, introducing a study bill before a state legislature gives the sponsor(s) and supporrters the opportunity to educate fellow legislators about hemp. Introducing a resolution and/or a study bill on the state level can help gauge the degree of support a hemp farming bill might receive, and the education done for a resolution can help lay the groundwork for such a future bill.

State Hemp Study Bills:

To date, six states have passed hemp study bills: Arkansas, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina and Vermont.

Arkansas - 1999
SR 13
Hemp study bill. Passed into law.
Download the text of SR 13 here (PDF file 5k).

Maine - 2003
LD 53
Passed into law on 4/18/03.
Download the text of LD 53 as Amended here (PDF file 6k).

Minnesota - 2010
SF 2737
Omnibus agriculture and veterans policy bill. (Includes authorization for an Industrial Hemp Report.) Introduced, first reading and referred to Finance Committee on 2/22/10. As this was an omnibus bill, extensive amendments were made. Passed by the House, passed by the Senate (click here for details). Signed by the Governor on 5/13/10. Secretary of State, Chapter 333 on 5/13/10.
Download the text of SF 2737 as Session Law: Chapter 333, here (PDF file 648k)

New Mexico - 2007
HM 49
A memorial requesting the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to study the viability of a legal hemp industry; urging Congress to recognize industrial hemp as a valuable agricultural commodity and to take certain other actions. Passed House 59-2 on 3/5/07. Signed 3/6/07. Official bill status abbreviations: [31] HAGC [36] DP/a [39] PASSED/H (59-2) [40] SGND.
Read the text of HM 49 here (HTML).
Download the text of HM 49 as introduced here (PDF file 48k).

North Carolina - 2006
H 1723
"The Studies Act of 2006"
Creates an independent commission to study the beneficial uses of industrial hemp, among other studies. Introduced on 5/11/05. Edition 5 of H 1723 incorporating S 1572 (see below) adopted and ratified on 7/27/06. Signed and passed into law by Gov. Easley on 8/16/06.
Download the text of H 1723 as Signed here (PDF file 181k).

Vermont - 1996
H 783
As Enacted into Law.
Gov. Dean did not sign the bill, nor did he veto it.
Download the text of H 783 here (PDF file 3k).

For more information on industrial hemp please see our Download Center, which includes quick links to articles, farming guides, films, legal cases, legislation, letters, regulations, reports & studies.

Vote Hemp can help you in developing a hemp study bill, as well as help you research the process for introducing and passing them. We can also provide you with educational materials and information to help you in the process.

If you have any questions concerning the information posted here, or you would like us to review drafts and make suggestions, please contact us.

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