A hemp measure which has already been unanimously approved by California’s full Senate has been unanimously approved by a key Assembly committee – the Committee on Public Safety. The measure, Senate Bill 566, now heads to the Committee on Agriculture; its approval will send it to the full Assembly, where its passage will send it to the governor for final consideration. The governor is expected to sign it into law.

Under the proposal, which is sponsored by Senator Mark Leno from San Francisco, California state law would be altered so that hemp is no longer illegal. Unfortunately California won’t be authorized to issue licenses to grow hemp until federal law changes, but with recent efforts picking up on the national level to end hemp prohibition (supported by the U.S House Majority Leader and Senate Republican Leader), the passage of this proposal could have a strong effect quicker than some may think.

According to recent congressional research the U.S. imports nearly half a billion dollars in hemp, yet retains the illegality of its cultivation. The same congressional research found that the hemp market consists of over 25,000 various products.

– TheJointBlog