Pennsylvania Lawmakers Unanimously Pass Hemp Bill
A bill to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp for research purposes has been given unanimous approval by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The measure – House Bill 967 – now heads to the state’s Senate, where it’s expected to be quickly approved (the Senate last month gave unanimous approval to a separate but similar hemp bill).
“We put a lot of effort into educating other legislators about the usefulness of this crop and its positive economic and environmental promises for Pennsylvania,”says Representative Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon). “While the passage of House Bill 967 is cause for some celebration, we still have a lot of work ahead of us to get the Senate to concur, the governor to sign it into law, and to create a hemp industry from scratch. This is the very first step on what I hope to be very long and prosperous journey for the people of this Commonwealth.”
Under the proposed law, those wanting to cultivate hemp will need to receive a license from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and must be doing it for research purposes.
Once passed by the Senate, House Bill 967 will go to Governor Tom Wolf for consideration.
