The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill in December opened the door for an ever-growing number of states to begin enacting and implementing policy reform and allowing farmers to once-again cultivate the versatile hemp plant.
In January, California Senator Scott Wilk introduced Senate Bill 153 (SB153), a bill to amend current law to ensure that the state is in full compliance with changes in federal industrial hemp regulations.
California’s industrial hemp regulations were previously in compliance with federal law before the 2018 Farm Bill with the passage of SB1409 in 2018, also authored by Wilk.
The new bill will bring California into compliance with current federal industrial hemp regulations once again.
On Wednesday, September 11, the Senate voted unanimously 40-0 to pass SB153 before sending the bill to Governor Newsom’s desk for a signature.
The bill passed its third reading in the Assembly on Tuesday, September 10 with a 76-1 vote.
“Industrial hemp is going to revolutionize agriculture and bring new manufacturing to the state,” said Wilk. “Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence and Betsy Ross weaved the first flag out of hemp. Just imagine its possibilities today. With SB 156 California will be in position to take advantage of the opportunities presented for our agricultural and manufacturing industries.”
Wilk says that hemp is a versatile plant that is used in more than 25,000 different products and presents an exciting opportunity for California, particularly in areas like Antelope Valley.
