A Washington state legislative committee will review a bill today that would remove industrial hemp from the state’s list of controlled substances. If the proposed measure eventually passes into law, it would eliminate a licensing program and open the door for full-scale hemp cultivation and production by treating hemp as any other crop for farming.
The Washington state (House of Representatives) Committee on Commerce and Gaming must pass the bill by a majority vote as the next step in the state lawmaking process. Those who may choose to grow hemp in Washington could still face federal violations, state officials said.
The Washington State Legislature last year overturned Gov. Jay Inslee’s veto of a measure that eventually set up a state-controlled hemp growing program for research. (more from 10th Amendment Center)