Pubdate: Thu, 28 Mar 2013
Source: Richmond Register (KY)
Copyright: 2013 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.richmondregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4305
Author: Ronnie Ellis, CNHI News Service
Page: A3

HEMP BILL PASSES LATE; ADKINS, HORNBACK FIND COMPROMISE

FRANKFORT - Throughout a two-month fight in the General Assembly to
license hemp cultivation - assuming the federal government allows it -
supporters claimed many virtues for the kindred plant of marijuana.

Maybe they should have claimed it offers powers of longevity and
restoration.

Because just when the idea seemed beyond resuscitation, it rose from
the dead Tuesday night in the final minutes of the 2013 General Assembly.

Senate Bill 50, sponsored by Sen. Paul Hornback, R- Shelbyville, and
pushed hard by Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, seemed dead late
Tuesday when Hornback ended negotiations on an amendment by House
Majority Leader Rocky Adkins, D- Sandy Hook.

Among other things, Adkins' amendment placed the Hemp Commission with
the University of Kentucky rather than the Department of Agriculture,
changed the makeup of the commission, and required a five-year study.
Hornback and Comer said they couldn't agree to those changes and Comer
apparently departed the Capitol thinking his signature issue had died
- - at least for this year.

But Comer returned to the Capitol after word spread that Adkins and
Hornback had resumed negotiations and just after 11 p. m., the
Democratic House passed an amended version of the bill 88- 4.

As time ran out - the session had to end by midnight, according to the
state constitution - Comer appeared outside the Senate, obviously
weary but just as obviously relieved. Moments later, the Senate passed
the measure 35- 1.

"I'm very pleased," Comer said, saying he was satisfied with the
last-minute compromise between Adkins and Hornback. He said House
Democrats faced "a lot of public pressure" to pass the bill after
first appearing to kill it.

Comer said the latest changes to the bill were acceptable to him and
indicated the commission would be housed with the Department of
Agriculture.

The final measure also was revised to make him vice-chairman, rather
than chairman, of the commission. Instead, the commission, which will
include representatives of the legislature, universities, Kentucky
State Police, the agriculture community and hemp promoters, will
choose its chairman.

But there appeared to be confusion about the placement of the
commission - the bill posted on the legislature's website showing the
version that was passed and enrolled appears to attach the commission
to the University of Kentucky.

Section 9, paragraph ( 1) of the bill on the website reads: "The
Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission is created and is attached to the
University of Kentucky Experiment Station for administrative purposes."

In several other sections, the language clearly indicates various
licensing and regulatory functions are the responsibility of the Hemp
Commission rather than the Department of Agriculture as Comer
originally preferred.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, who was blamed by Comer and
other supporters of the bill for its initial stalling in the House,
said Wednesday the changes in the bill made it palatable to skeptics.

He agreed the final measure passed Tuesday attaches the commission to
the University of Kentucky.

The Kentucky State Police, who had opposed the bill because they
feared it would complicate marijuana eradication and law enforcement,
will perform background checks on those applying for a growing license
which will be issued by the commission.

The KSP commissioner and representatives of sheriffs' and police
chiefs' associations will also be members of the commission.

Hemp cultivation is illegal under federal law and law enforcement
agencies have generally opposed changing the law because of its
biological kinship with marijuana. But hemp supporters say that plant
contains much smaller levels of THC, the chemical which gives
marijuana smokers a "high."

They also contend it is easily distinguishable from marijuana because
cultivators of each crop desire different densities and heights of the
two plants. They say hemp actually poses a threat to marijuana plants
because the two cross-pollinate and in doing so, the potency of the
THC- chemical in marijuana is diminished in the offspring.

Proponents see a potentially vibrant market for industrial hemp from
which fibers, bio-fuels and food products can be produced. Critics
say those economic benefits are greatly exaggerated.

But Comer, Hornback and other proponents say Kentucky needs a
licensing framework to put itself into a position to quickly take
advantage of a market for the plant should the federal government
loosen its prohibition on cultivating the plant or grants a waiver to
a state to study its potential.

About 11 other states have already implemented such "regulatory
frameworks." Among those supporting Hornback's measure and applauding
passage of the compromise measure are Kentucky's U. S. Senators Mitch
McConnell and Rand Paul and Congressmen Thomas Massie and John Yarmuth.

Comer said Wednesday he will work with the congressional delegation to
seek a federal exemption allowing cultivation of hemp in Kentucky.

"We are closer to our goal of bringing hemp back to Kentucky than we
have been in more than 60 years, and our work continues," Comer said.

Because the bill passed on the last night of the session, lawmakers
have no recourse should Gov. Steve Beshear veto the bill. During the
long debate on the measure during the session, Beshear repeated
concerns about the measure shared by KSP and other law enforcement
agencies.

He has not said whether he might veto the bill.

Comer said Tuesday night he planned to talk with Beshear to urge him
not to veto the law.
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MAP posted-by: Matt