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The Vote Hemp Report Volume IV, Number 3
June 5, 2009

Dear Reader,

Last week, Maine's House passed LD 1159 without objection and the Senate later passed it by a vote of 25 to 10. The bill was Passed To Be Enacted by the House and Senate this week. LD 1159 would establish a licensing regime for farming industrial hemp. Maine previously passed a study bill and has defined industrial hemp in the law.

The State of Oregon is also on the verge of passing industrial hemp legislation. If the Oregon bill succeeds it would join fifteen others that have passed hemp bills.

As many of you know, since 1937, this highly versatile crop (uses include food, fuel, building material, textile, and energy to name a few) has been linked — via the Marijuana Tax Act — to the recreational and medicinal strains of the same species: Cannabis sativa L. But make no mistake, they are genetically distinct and nothing like the other.

The battle has been long. The last legal hemp crop grown in the U.S. was harvested 50 years ago. In 1970, with the passage of the Controlled Substances Act, farming hemp in the U.S. was effectively outlawed. And since then, the courts have offered no relief claiming only Congress can change the status quo.

Nonetheless, with the hemp renaissance's onset in the 80s — and the 90s when states began introducing hemp legislation — grassroots efforts have led to a growing hemp ground swell headed straight towards D.C.

As farmers find themselves mired in the effects of the Great Recession, common sense dictates legal barriers be removed to allow U.S. farmers to add this cash crop to their increasingly limited options as have virtually all other industrialized nations.

Earlier this month, our new drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske, told the Wall Street Journal that the War on Drugs was on its way out. Using this logic, the end of the ludicrous U.S. ban on hemp farming is a no brainer.

Sadly, most elected officials inside the beltway have bought into the "hemp is marijuana" paradigm and have become afraid of their own shadows on this issue. Rep. Ron Paul repeatedly introduces hemp legislation only to be denied a committee hearing in the House.

Gratefully, state legislatures have been willing to step in and lead the way. The tipping point appears near. All that's needed now is for the Obama Administration to take simple measures leaving it to the states to determine their own fate regarding industrial hemp. Yes, the ban on U.S. hemp farming draws near — thanks in no small part to federalism. Please make a donation today to our General Fund to help us continue our work and bring hemp farming back to its rightful place in America.

Sincerely,

Patrick Goggin
Vote Hemp Director

Table of Contents
  • Current Action Alerts
  • Maine
  • Montana
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota
  • Oregon
  • Vermont

  • Maine
    Maine State Capitol

    Maine had a hemp farming bill introduced on 3/25/09.

    An Act Relating to Industrial Hemp. This bill allows a person to grow industrial hemp if that person holds a license issued by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources and the hemp is grown under a federal permit in compliance with the conditions of that permit.

    In the House: The Bill was Read the Second Time and Passed To Be Engrossed as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-356), Sent for concurrence and Ordered Sent Forthwith on 5/27/09.

    In the Senate: Roll Call #122, Vote 25 Yeas - 10 Nays. Read A Second Time And Passed To Be Engrossed As Amended By Committee Amendment "A" (H-356) in concurrence on 6/1/09.

    Last House Action - Passed To Be Enacted. Sent for concurrence. Ordered Sent Forthwith on 6/3/09. Last Senate Action - Under suspension of the Rules Passed To Be Enacted in concurrence on 6/3/09.


    Montana
    Montana Capitol

    Montana had a resolution, SJ 20, introduced on 2/7/09.

    Resolution urging Congress to legalize industrial hemp. Introduced, first reading and referred to Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Committee on 2/7/09. Committee hearing held on 2/17/09. Third reading and passed the Senate by a vote of 48 to 1 on 2/23/09. Transmitted to the House on 2/23/09. Referred to House Agriculture Committee on 2/24/09. Committee hearing held on 3/17/2009. Third reading and passed the House by a vote of 89 to 11 on 4/02/09. Signed by Senate President on 4/3/09. Signed by House Speaker on 4/6/09. Filed with the Secretary of State on 4/6/09.

    Montana residents, please write to Rep. Denny Rehberg and ask him to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.


    New Mexico
    New Mexico Capitol

    HM 47 is a memorial requesting the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to investigate the feasibility of state incentives for commercialization of industrial hemp and that Congress be requested to acknowledge the difference between marijuana and industrial hemp and to clearly legalize the commercial production of industrial hemp. Companion bill to SM 30. Introduced 2/19/09. Passed the House by a vote of 44-23 on the 32nd Legislative Day. Signed on the 33rd Legislative Day.

    SM 30 is a memorial requesting the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to investigate the feasibility of state incentives for commercialization of industrial hemp and that Congress be requested to acknowledge the difference between marijuana and industrial hemp and to clearly legalize the commercial production of industrial hemp. Companion bill to HM 47. Introduced 2/16/09. Passed the Senate by a vote of 25-12 and Signed on the 47nd Legislative Day

    Residents of New Mexico, please write to Your Representatives and ask them to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.


    North Dakota
    North Dakota Capitol

    There were two new bills, HB 1549 and HCR 3026, in North Dakota this year. One is a bill to amend and re-enact section 4-41-02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to industrial hemp. The other is a concurrent resolution urging the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to allow North Dakota to regulate industrial hemp farming.

    A bill for an Act to amend and reenact section 4-41-02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to industrial hemp. Introduced on 1/19/09. House: Second reading, passed, yeas 88 nays 4 on 2/6/09. Senate: Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 40 nays 1 on 3/6/09. House: Second reading passed, yeas 89 nays 3, Senate amendment Concurred on 4/16/09. Signed by Governor on 4/24/09. Filed with Secretary of State on 4/29/09.

    HCR 3026, a concurrent resolution urging the DEA to allow North Dakota to regulate industrial hemp farming without requiring federal applications, licenses or fees. Introduced in the House on 1/29/09. Referred to the House Agriculture Committee. Adopted by the House on 2/19/09. Adopted by the Senate on 3/24/09. Returned to the House on 3/25/09. Signed by the Senate President on 4/1/09. Filed with the Secretary of State on 4/7/09.

    North Dakotans, please write to Rep. Earl Pomeroy and ask him to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.


    Oregon
    Oregon Capitol

    Oregon had a hemp farming bill, SB 676, introduced on 3/3/09.

    Permits production and possession of industrial hemp and trade in industrial hemp commodities and products. Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk on 3/3/09. Referred to Senate Environment and Natural Resources committee on 3/9/09. Public Hearing held on 3/26/09. Click here to listen to the Public Hearing for SB 676 (mp3 audio 54:40, 49 MB). Work Session held on 4/14/09 and 4/21/09. Recommendation: Do Pass with amendments (Printed A-Eng), Referred to Ways and Means by order of the President and Assigned to Subcommittee On Natural Resources on 5/5/09. Public Hearing held on 5/13/09.


    Vermont
    VErmont State House

    Vermont had a resolution, JRS 26, introduced on 3/27/09.

    A joint resolution in support of Act 212 of 2008. The General Assembly urges Congress to Recognize industrial hemp as a valuable agricultural commodity and that the United States Drug Enforcement Administration allow the states to regulate industrial hemp farming without federal applications, licenses or fees. Senate: Read first time & placed on action calendar per Rule 51 on 3/27/09. Adopted on the part of the Senate on 4/14/09. House: Rules Suspended and Taken up for Immediate Consideration, Read second time, proposed amendment agreed to, the resolution was read the third time and passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment on 5/4/09. Senate: House proposal of amendment concurred in on 5/6/09.

    Residents of Vermont, please write to Rep. Peter Welch and ask him to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.


    Current Action Alerts
    Take Action

    Nationwide: Click here to write your Congressional representative and ask him/her to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009. If he/she is a co-sponsor already, you will be able to thank them.

    The following states have passed resolutions or memorials urging Congress to allow states to regulate hemp farming. Please use the links below to write to your Congressional representative if you are from these states.

    Montana: Click here to write to Rep. Denny Rehberg and ask him to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.

    New Mexico: Click here to write to Your Representatives and ask them to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.

    North Dakota: Click here to write to Rep. Earl Pomeroy and ask him to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.

    Vermont: Click here to write to Rep. Peter Welch and ask him to become a co-sponsor of HR 1866.

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