Missouri Governor Signs Hemp Bill Into Law

Missouri Governor Signs Hemp Bill Into Law

Missouri Governor Eric Greitens has signed into law legislation that legalizes industrial hemp.

House Bill 2034 was signed by Governor Greitens roughly a month after it was passed by the Senate in a 29 to 3 vote, and a little over three months after it initially passed the House of Representatives 141 to 4.

According to its official summary; “This bill exempts industrial hemp, which is defined as Cannabis sativa L. containing no greater than 0.3% THC, from the definition of marijuana and the list of controlled substances. In addition, it is legal for any person who has received an industrial hemp license to grow, harvest, cultivate, and process industrial hemp.”

The bill “creates an industrial hemp agricultural pilot program to be implemented by the Department of Agriculture and specifies the requirements for an applicant of an industrial hemp registration and agricultural hemp seed production permit”,and states that “The department must issue a license or permit to an applicant who meets the statutory requirements and upon satisfactory completion of a fingerprint criminal history background check. Upon issuance of a license or permit, information regarding all license and permit holders must be forwarded to the State Highway Patrol.”

An industrial hemp license or agricultural hemp seed production permit would be “nontransferable except to a spouse or child who otherwise meets the requirements for a license or permit; is valid for a three-year term unless revoked by the department; and may be renewed as determined by the department.”

More information on the new law can be found by clicking here.