Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Date:04/13/2015
ATTENDANCE
Time:01:33 PM to 03:54 PM
Arndt
X
Becker J.
*
Place:HCR 0107
Brown
X
Buck
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Coram
X
Representative Vigil
Danielson
X
Dore
X
This Report was prepared by
Ginal
X
Meghan O'Connor
Lebsock
X
Mitsch Bush
X
Saine
X
Becker K.
*
Vigil
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB15-1320
HB15-1325		Amended, Referred to Appropriations
Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole


01:33 PM -- HB 15-1320

Representative Young and Representative Arndt presented House Bill 15-1320. Testimony for the bill occurred on April 6, 2015. Representative Arndt moved Amendment L.001 (Attachment A), which was distributed to the committee on April 6, 2015. Representative Arndt also distributed Amendment L.003 (Attachment B), Amendment L.005 (Attachment C), and an unofficial preamended version of House Bill 13-1320 (Attachment D).

150413 AttachA.pdf150413 AttachA.pdf150413 AttachB.pdf150413 AttachB.pdf150413 AttachC.pdf150413 AttachC.pdf150413 AttachD.pdf150413 AttachD.pdf
BILL:HB15-1320
TIME: 01:36:07 PM
MOVED:Arndt
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.001. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Lebsock
VOTE
Arndt
Becker J.
Brown
Buck
Coram
Danielson
Dore
Ginal
Lebsock
Mitsch Bush
Saine
Becker K.
Excused
Vigil
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB15-1320
TIME: 01:36:27 PM
MOVED:Arndt
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.003. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Lebsock
VOTE
Arndt
Becker J.
Brown
Buck
Coram
Danielson
Dore
Ginal
Lebsock
Mitsch Bush
Saine
Becker K.
Vigil
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

Jery Payne, OLLS, explained the amendment to the committee.
BILL:HB15-1320
TIME: 01:40:20 PM
MOVED:Arndt
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.005. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Lebsock
VOTE
Arndt
Becker J.
Brown
Buck
Coram
Danielson
Dore
Ginal
Lebsock
Mitsch Bush
Saine
Becker K.
Vigil
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


Representative Arndt and Representative Young concluded their comments on the bill.
BILL:HB15-1320
TIME: 01:41:54 PM
MOVED:Arndt
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1320, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 8-5.
SECONDED:Danielson
VOTE
Arndt
Yes
Becker J.
Yes
Brown
No
Buck
No
Coram
No
Danielson
Yes
Dore
No
Ginal
Yes
Lebsock
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Saine
No
Becker K.
Yes
Vigil
Yes
Final YES: 8 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:49 PM -- HB 15-1325

Representative Lebsock, sponsor, presented House Bill 15-1325, which expands the Industrial Hemp Committee (hemp committee) from 9 to 11 members by including a representative of the cannabinoid industry and a representative of the certified seed growers industry. The hemp committee is required to research and consider the recycling of industrial hemp that exceeds a THC concentration of 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis. The hemp committee is also required to make recommendations to the Commissioner of Agriculture and the General Assembly's applicable committees of reference by January 1, 2016. Representative Lebsock distributed a document provided by the Department of Agriculture depicting desired changes to the current Industrial Hemp Regulatory Program by the department (Attachment E). Representative Lebsock also referenced comments from the Rocky Mountain Hemp Association, which were distributed to the committee (Attachment F). Committee discussion ensued regarding the bill as well as Senate Bill 15-196.

150413 AttachE.pdf150413 AttachE.pdf150413 AttachF.pdf150413 AttachF.pdf

02:03 PM -- Mitch Yergert, Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry, responded to questions from the committee regarding why the hemp committee would benefit from two additional members. Mr. Yergert discussed the difference between industrial hemp products and products produced with more than a 0.3 percent content of THC. When tested if a hemp crop contains a THC concentration above 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis, the crop must be destroyed or utilized on site in a manner approved of and verified by the commissioner. Mr. Yergert discussed the testing and destruction process.




02:22 PM -- Samantha Walsh, Rocky Mountain Hemp Association (RMHA), spoke in support of the bill and explained the mission of the RMHA to the committee. Ms. Walsh discussed the difference between THC and hemp products, citing impairment as a key difference between the two.

02:26 PM -- Kristen Thomson, Mindful, a medical marijuana company, testified against the bill. Ms. Thomson discussed the possibility of the deregulation of the marijuana industry as a result of the bill. Ms. Thomson also expressed concern with a person representing the cannabinoid industry sitting on the hemp committee and emphasized that hemp products should be tested rather than just the hemp crops.

02:32 PM -- Mike Elliot, Marijuana Industry Group, testified against the bill. Mr. Elliot discussed the regulatory system of the marijuana industry and responded to questions from the committee.

02:43 PM

Committee discussion ensued regarding the cannabinoid industry and possible effects that the bill may have on the marijuana industry. Jery Payne, Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to questions from the committee regarding the hemp committee's ability to recycle cannabis plants that exceed 0.3 percent THC.

03:00 PM -- Shawn Coleman, 36 Solutions, retail marijuana, spoke in support of the bill and responded to questions from the committee.

03:20 PM -- Shawn Hauser, RMHA, spoke in support of the bill and discussed the regulation of hemp products. Ms. Hauser responded to questions from the committee regarding the potential deregulation of marijuana products as a result of the bill.

03:30 PM -- Ron Kammerzell, Department of Revenue (DOR), responded to questions from the committee and discussed DOR's regulation of marijuana and the Department of Agriculture's regulation of industrial hemp. Mr. Kammerzell discussed at what point a cannabis plant becomes marijuana, and whether that plant would be under the regulatory jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture or DOR. Mr. Kammerzell explained that at the point a cannabis plant becomes marijuana, local law enforcement would have jurisdiction rather than DOR or the Department of Agriculture because the plant becomes an unlawful substance, as it is not a licensed product under the marijuana code.

03:35 PM

Representative Lebsock distributed comments from Michael Bowman, who was not able to testify at the meeting (Attachment G). Representative Lebsock also distributed Amendment L.002 (Attachment H) and responded to questions from the committee regarding the definition of cannabanoid and the addition of a member from the cannabanoid industry to the hemp committee.

150413 AttachG.pdf150413 AttachG.pdf150413 AttachH.pdf150413 AttachH.pdf


03:46 PM -- Danny Tomlinson, Department of Agriculture, stated that the department is remaining neutral on the bill but stated that the department did work with Representative Lebsock in the drafting of the bill.
BILL:HB15-1325
TIME: 03:51:12 PM
MOVED:Lebsock
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.002. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Becker J.
VOTE
Arndt
Becker J.
Brown
Buck
Coram
Danielson
Dore
Ginal
Lebsock
Mitsch Bush
Saine
Becker K.
Vigil
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB15-1325
TIME: 03:52:40 PM
MOVED:Lebsock
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1325, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 7-6.
SECONDED:Becker J.
VOTE
Arndt
Yes
Becker J.
Yes
Brown
No
Buck
No
Coram
No
Danielson
No
Dore
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Lebsock
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Saine
No
Becker K.
Yes
Vigil
No
Final YES: 7 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:54 PM

The committee adjourned.