ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
FINAL
REVISED
(NOW: industrial
hemp; production; study)
Authorizes any state university to conduct a study on the feasibility of industrial hemp production in Arizona.
Hemp is a variety of the cannabis plant that is regulated under the federal Controlled Substances Act as a schedule 1 drug. In addition, hemp is currently an illegal substance under Arizona drug laws.
According to the Hemp Industries Association, industrial hemp is currently legal in 25 countries and legislation has been passed in five states to legalize industrial hemp (North Dakota, Hawaii, Minnesota, Illinois and Maryland). Legislation to legalize industrial hemp is currently pending in seven states and voter initiatives are underway in three states. There is currently a nationwide effort underway to legalize the production of this variety of cannabis for non drug-related uses.
Hemp can be used in the manufacturing of numerous products, including clothing, paper, textiles, cosmetics, accessories and certain foods. Industrial hemp is also currently being studied for use as a biomass fuel source.
S.B. 1519 authorizes any state university to conduct a feasibility study on the production of industrial hemp in Arizona.
In her veto message the Governor stated that she could not support the allocation of resources for education to a project that does not further, and may detract from, the goals she supports. She was also concerned about putting universities in the position of violating both federal and state laws against the possession and production of cannabis, which includes hemp. Finally, she referenced a study already conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture in January 2000 that questioned the economic feasibility of hemp production and sales.
1. Authorizes any university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona Board of Regents to conduct a study on the feasibility and desirability of industrial hemp production in Arizona. Requires that if a study is conducted, the university must report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1, 2003.
2. Defines industrial hemp to mean strains or varieties of cannabis plants, particularly cannabis sativa, containing low percentages, generally less than one per cent, by dry weight of the of the psychoactive ingredient delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly know as THC.
3. Repeals the authority for the study on January 31, 2004.
4. Provides for a general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
Authorizes the ASU-East School of Agri-business and Resource Management to conduct a study on the feasibility and desirability of industrial hemp production in Arizona. Requires that if the School conducts the study, it must report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1, 2002.
Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives
· Allows any state university to conduct the study on the feasibility of industrial hemp production.
· Expands the scope of the study to include:
1. Levels of THC required for successful crops.
2. Effective identification of industrial hemp and its THC content.
· Defines “industrial hemp” for purposes of the study.
· Extends the deadline for the report on the study by one year, to December 1, 2003 and delays the repeal of the study by one year, to January 31, 2004.
Senate Action House Action
NRAE 3/8/01 DPA/SE 7-0-1-0 NRA 4/4/01 DPA 6-1-2-1
3rd Read 3/20/01 16-13-1-0 3rd Read 4/12/01 35-22-3-0
Final Read 4/19/01 19-11-0
Vetoed by Governor 4/25/01
Prepared by Senate Staff
May 25, 2001