PIERRE — Gov. Kristi Noem is digging in against legalizing industrial hemp in South Dakota, setting up a potential showdown with the Legislature as a bill legalizing it is sailing through with little opposition.

Noem reiterated her opposition to legalizing industrial hemp in 2019 during her weekly press conference, saying she has "very real concerns" about passing House Bill 1191 during this legislative session.

"I believe if we move ahead with industrial hemp and we aren't prepared with it from a regulatory standpoint, from an enforcement standpoint, if we don't have the equipment and dollars to do this correctly, we will be opening the door to allowing marijuana to be legalized in the state of South Dakota," Noem said.

Bill sponsor Rep. Oren Lesmeister, D-Parade, said on Friday that Noem's statement was false. The plants don't look identical and the bill includes the federal government's definitions for both industrial hemp and marijuana to differentiate what is being legalized, he said.

"They're two totally separate plants. I would not bring in legalized marijuana," Lesmeister said.

He said he hasn't been able to talk with Noem about his bill due to "scheduling conflicts" and he has had a request to table his bill, but he's not planning to do that.

"I've had too many legislators on both sides, Senate and House, say, 'Do not table it, it's time, bring it.' We're just going to keep bringing the bill and as we hear concerns, we'll keep working them. That's the thing... we've had everyone at the table," Lesmeister said.

Noem first made her opposition to legalizing hemp this session known late last week, and days later, the House passed House Bill 1191 in a 65-2 vote. Members of the public seated in the gallery cheered after watching the bill receive overwhelming support on the House floor.

House Bill 1191 now moves to the Senate, where it has a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, and Noem urged on Friday that senators "look at the wide range of facts" before they vote on the bill. If the Senate also gives the bill the thumbs up, it'll head to Noem's desk for a decision.

More:House Oks industrial hemp bill despite Gov. Noem’s call for delay

Noem hasn't outright said that she'll veto the bill when asked, saying instead that she'll consider the bill's language before making a decision. If Noem vetoes the bill, the Legislature has the ability to override her veto.

Industrial hemp has been around for thousands of years and the U.S. Department of Agriculture states that the hemp market has 25,000 value-added agriculture products, Lesmeister said.

"It's referenced in the Bible... Our Founding Fathers required farmers to grow hemp to some extent when they colonized. Our Declaration of Independence is printed on hemp paper," Lesmeister said.

On Friday, Lesmeister asked South Dakotans to voice their opinions about industrial hemp to their legislators. He said he's already heard a lot of support from farmers and ranchers, industries, tribal members and local governments.

"People are ready for it. At the end of the day, whether we pass it or not, it's coming. That's the given. I just don't want South Dakota to be last again in something," Lesmeister said.

Senate consideration

After the House's overwhelming approval of House Bill 1191, House Majority Leader Lee Qualm, R-Platte, told the Associated Press that it's time for industrial hemp to move forward.

House Bill 1191 is coming before the Legislature this session after the 2018 Farm Bill legalized it late last year. But even if a bill passes this year, Lesmeister said it won't likely be grown in the state for the first time until 2020.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where it's first stop will be the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. The bill hearing is scheduled for the committee's meeting on Tuesday morning. The committee's counterpart in the House unanimously passed the bill last week.

More:Hemp bill moves forward, but Noem says state 'not ready' for the crop

The Republican caucus hasn't discussed the bill in depth, according to Senate Majority Leader Kris Langer. Senate Assistant Majority Leader Jim Bolin, R-Canton, said he believes there's "quite a bit of support" for the bill.

"As to the timing, that's another question. I think there's a lot of people that, now that the Farm Bill has moved this process forward, are quite favorable to that," Bolin said.

Noem's concerns

The state doesn't have an industrial hemp license and enforcement process set up yet, nor does the U.S. Department of Agriculture have guidelines finalized yet for industrial hemp, Noem said.

But she also has concerns about the family and social implications if industrial hemp is legalized. She said she's heard from social workers, addiction treatment counselors and families hurt by addiction that marijuana is a gateway drug — and that industrial hemp will open the door to marijuana distribution in South Dakota. Noem agrees with that, saying she is "100 percent convinced" that it would open that pathway.

If legalized industrial hemp moves forward without the state being ready for it, Noem said she believes they'll be having a discussion in a couple years about the state's inability to regulate the transportation of it and law enforcement's inability to determine if a plant is industrial hemp or marijuana.

If industrial hemp is legalized without the state having a testing system set up, law enforcement will have to determine by sight whether a plant is industrial hemp or marijuana.

"The plant looks exactly like a marijuana plant because it's exactly the same plant as a marijuana plant," Noem said.

Lesmeister disputed Noem's claim, saying that they're two separate plants and "standing in a field, there's a vast difference."