Industrial hemp; production and manufacturing. (HB1277)
Introduced By
Del. Joseph Yost (R-Blacksburg) with support from 33 copatrons, whose average partisan position is:
Those copatrons are Del. Jeff Campbell (R-Marion), Del. Betsy Carr (D-Richmond), Del. Glenn Davis (R-Virginia Beach), Del. James Edmunds (R-South Boston), Del. Matt Fariss (R-Rustburg), Del. Buddy Fowler (R-Ashland), Del. Gordon Helsel (R-Poquoson), Del. Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria), Del. Daun Hester (D-Norfolk), Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington), Del. Tim Hugo (R-Centreville), Del. Mark Keam (D-Vienna), Del. Kaye Kory (D-Falls Church), Del. Rob Krupicka (D-Alexandria), Del. Danny Marshall (R-Danville), Del. John O'Bannon (R-Richmond), Del. Chris Peace (R-Mechanicsville), Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston), Del. Brenda Pogge (R-Williamsburg), Del. Sam Rasoul (D-Roanoke), Del. Roxann Robinson (R-Chesterfield), Del. Nick Rush (R-Christiansburg), Del. Ed Scott (R-Culpeper), Del. Marcus Simon (D-Falls Church), Del. Scott Taylor (R-Virginia Beach), Del. David Toscano (D-Charlottesville), Del. Ron Villanueva (R-Virginia Beach), Del. Michael Webert (R-Marshall), Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond), Sen. Todd E. Pillion (R-Abingdon), Sen. Lionell Spruill (D-Chesapeake), Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✓ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
✓ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Industrial hemp production and manufacturing. Allows licensed cultivation of industrial hemp, defining industrial hemp as the plant Cannabis sativa with a concentration of THC no greater than that allowed by federal law. The bill directs the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to adopt relevant regulations and establishes an industrial hemp research program. Read the Bill »
Outcome
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
07/21/2014 | Committee |
07/21/2014 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/14/15 15100010D |
07/21/2014 | Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources |
01/28/2015 | Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute (17-Y 5-N) (see vote tally) |
01/28/2015 | Committee substitute printed 15103816D-H1 |
01/29/2015 | Read first time |
01/30/2015 | Passed by for the day |
02/02/2015 | Read second time |
02/02/2015 | Committee substitute agreed to 15103816D-H1 |
02/02/2015 | Passed by temporarily |
02/02/2015 | Amendments by Delegate Yost agreed to |
02/02/2015 | Engrossed by House - committee substitute with amendments HB1277EH1 |
02/02/2015 | Printed as engrossed 15103816D-EH1 |
02/03/2015 | Impact statement from DPB (HB1277) |
02/03/2015 | Impact statement from DPB (HB1277EH1) |
02/03/2015 | Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N) |
02/03/2015 | VOTE: PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/04/2015 | Constitutional reading dispensed |
02/04/2015 | Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources |
02/12/2015 | Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/16/2015 | Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/17/2015 | Read third time |
02/17/2015 | Passed Senate (34-Y 3-N) (see vote tally) |
02/20/2015 | Enrolled |
02/20/2015 | Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1277ER) |
02/20/2015 | Impact statement from DPB (HB1277ER) |
02/20/2015 | Signed by Speaker |
02/23/2015 | Signed by President |
02/24/2015 | G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, Monday, March 30, 2015 |
02/24/2015 | Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on 2/24/15 |
02/24/2015 | G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, Sunday, March 29, 2015 |
03/16/2015 | G Approved by Governor-Chapter 158 (effective 7/1/15) |
03/16/2015 | G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0158) |
Video
This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 2 clips in all, totaling 7 minutes.
Comments
Right Way Forward Virginia, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, libertarian grassroots advocacy organization, strongly supports this bill. Hemp is environmentally friendly and economically beneficial -- but illegal to grow. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act is good for farmers, job seekers, and all Virginians who could benefit from the multitude of economic uses of industrial hemp such as textiles, oil, and building materials.
Once more. This stuff doesn't get anyone high. Repeat. This stuff doesn't get anyone high. "Oh, but someone will mix marijuana that can get you high in with it!!!!". No, they won't because any pot grower knows that it ruins the THC content (the substance that creates the high) to be near hemp. So stop this nonsense and pass this bill.
Another excuse that that legislators will use to vote against hemp bills is that hemp looks like marijuana, so that will make it difficult for police to distinguish between the two. Under this logic, manufacture of flour should be illegal, because it looks like cocaine. Or oregano should be banned, because it looks like dried marijuana.
Does anyone know when the agricultural committee is voting on this? Farmers need to be present to give testimony in support of a billion dollar native crop that we have eradicated for no reason other than ideology fueled corporatism.
Our forefathers grew hemp in Virginia and knew and celebrated its many uses and benefits to society. Backward, close-minded thinking is not what Virginia needs to progress and our farmers, large and smal ,would greatly benefit from the growth of this versatile plant. It is NOT marijuana, cannot be smoked or used in the same way, and can only greatly expand the horizons for our farmers who truly need a cash crop with so many beneficial uses. Come on Virginia! Be on the forefront of change! It is an admirable and intelligent choice for our farmers, and our society and state!
In reading articles of hemp production, it is documented that it was banned in North America in the 1930s due to its leaves and flowers containing a hallucinogenic drug known as delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Also, the documentation indicates that it was banned internationally in 1961 under the United Nations' Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
I feel that a lot of research should be given to this to determine if hemp could pose any health concerns for people who will try to use it on a social basis. We have to look at this realistically, a lot of people will experiment and use this socially.
Respectfully,
In reading articles of hemp production, it is documented that it was banned in North America in the 1930s due to its leaves and flowers containing a hallucinogenic drug known as delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Also, the documentation indicates that it was banned internationally in 1961 under the United Nations' Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
I feel that a lot of research should be given to this to determine if hemp could pose any health concerns for people who will try to use it on a social basis. We have to look at this realistically, a lot of people will experiment and use this socially. This could have a great impact on the youth.
Respectfully,