Legislation to legalize hemp cultivation in Indiana has been approved unanimously (90 to 0) by the state’s House of Representatives.

House Bill 1137 , filed by Representative Jim Lucas, “Authorizes the Indiana state department of agriculture (department) to establish an agricultural pilot program to study the growth, cultivation, and marketing of industrial hemp and industrial hemp products.” It also “Provides that the agricultural pilot programs administered by the department and the state seed commissioner are separate programs”, and “Establishes the industrial hemp commodities review board to provide recommendations to the department.”

The measure is an extension of a current law that allows only Purdue University to grow and research industrial hemp. Under House Bill 1137, any farmer who registers with the state will be authorized to grow hemp. However, the bill requires a change in federal law before this is possible.

The bill now goes to the state’s Senate, where passage would send it to Governor Eric Holcomb for consideration.

Indiana’s House also voted recently (and also unanimously) to approve a bill that would legalize the medical use of CBD oil.