Bill Summary for Bill Number HB12-1099

Date: 02/13/2012

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB12-1099

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Moved to refer House Bill 12-1099 to the Committee	PASS

03:33 PM -- House Bill 12-1099

Representative McKinley, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 12-1099, concerning the establishment of an industrial hemp remediation pilot program to study phytoremediation through the growth of hemp on contaminated soil. He explained that this pilot program would allow the program to grow hemp and study the ability of hemp to be used for phytoremediation, which is an environmental cleanup method mitigating contaminated soil through the use of plants.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-fungi.htm

03:35 PM

Jason Lauve, representing himself, testified in support of the bill, discussed the benefits of hemp for the restoration of polluted soils, and distributed a packet of information to the committee supporting the hemp remediation program (Attachment G). Mr. Lauve addressed questions from the committee concerning the need for a hemp remediation pilot program and explained the process of using hemp for phytoremediation.

03:44 PM

Representative McKinley addressed questions from the committee concerning the pilot program and the benefits of hemp. Mr. Lauve discussed similar hemp pilot programs throughout the world and responded to questions from the committee concerning whether hemp is legal to be grown in the United States. Committee discussion ensued concerning the ability to grow hemp in the U.S. and the comparison of hemp with cannabis.

04:08 PM

Clare Pramuk, Fiscal Note Analyst, Legislative Council Staff, addressed the committee to discuss the legality of growing hemp in the United State. She explained that it is not legal to grow hemp in the U.S., but it is legal to sell hemp products. She also discussed the issue of holding funds for the pilot program in a bank that is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Ms. Pramuk also explained that the pilot program would require the Colorado Department of Law to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), required by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in order to grow industrial hemp under the program. She explained that industrial hemp is any variety of the cannabis plant that contains no more than three-tenths of one percent of tetrahydrocannabinols (THC). Committee discussion ensued concerning the legality of growing hemp and how the pilot program would work.

04:11 PM

Lynda Parker, representing herself, testified in support of the bill, discussed the history of hemp, and explained that cannabis is controlled under the 1970s Controlled Substance Act. Ms. Parker discussed the benefits of hemp, talked about the ongoing hemp pilot program in South Dakota that began in 1997. She referred to a letter, within Attachment G, from U.S. Representative David Monson of South Dakota, concerning the benefits of hemp and the success of the pilot program in South Dakota.

04:24 PM

Erik Hunter, representing himself, testified in support of the bill, explained the benefits of hemp, and discussed studies that have shown the benefits of phytoremediation. Mr. Hunter addressed questions from committee concerning phytoremediation studies involving hemp.

04:32 PM

Mr. Lauve and Ms. Pramuk addressed the committee to discuss the issue of holding funds for the pilot program in a bank that must be insured by the FDIC. They explained that the MOU between the state and the DEA would allow the program to grow industrial hemp in Colorado and authorize any funds from the pilot program to be held in an FDIC bank.


BILL:	HB12-1099
TIME:	04:35:46 PM
MOVED:	Kerr J.
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 12-1099 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.
SECONDED:	Soper
		VOTE
	Conti	Yes
	Fields	Yes
	Gardner B.	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	Labuda	Yes
	Lee	Yes
	Pace	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Swerdfeger	Yes
	Balmer	Yes
	Szabo	Yes

YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS