California Hemp Bill Passes Public Safety Committee

CA Bill Passes Public Safety Committee
Volume 2, Number 4
March 30, 2007

The California Industrial Hemp Farming Act passed out of the California State Assembly Committee on Public Safety ( http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/newcomframeset.asp?committee=57 ) on Tuesday by a vote of 5-2 ( http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0651-0700/ab_684_vote_20070327_000001_asm_comm.html ).

Introduced on February 21, 2007, AB 684 is a bill that would let farmers grow industrial hemp without state or federal licenses. The two authors of the bill, Reps. Mark Leno and Chuck DeVore, spoke eloquently and convincingly at the hearing, as did John Roulac of Nutiva ( http://nutiva.com/ ) and Patrick Goggin of the Hemp Industries Association ( http://www.thehia.org/ ).

This is the beginning of the process to get AB 684 on Governor Schwarzenegger's desk by the end of summer.

California ( http://www.votehemp.com/state/california.html ) is an important state for many reasons. It has a large media presence, a
huge agricultural capacity, an excellent transportation system, and a
large base of environmentally-aware consumers. Newspapers in farming
regions ( http://www.appeal-democrat.com/onset?id=165&template=article.html ) have published editorials in support of hemp farming, as have those in both more conservative ( http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/opinion/homepage/article_1629486.php )
and more liberal
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.9dxwf5bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.dailynews.com%2Fopinions%2Fci_5500453)
regions of the state. Hemp is truly
a bi-partisan issue that touches people of many
persuasions.

You can make a difference and help get this
bill passed and hemp growing in the state once
again. If you are from California, please
take a few minutes now to write
your Senator and Assemblymember
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.8w4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9480636%26type%3DCU)
and ask
them to support AB 684, The California
Industrial Hemp Farming Act.

We also ask that you please make a
contribution
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.uxqm5wbab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fcontribute_email.asp)
to Vote Hemp today to help us continue our
work in the important state of California.

If you enjoy reading hemp news that goes
beyond legal and legislative updates, you can
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clicking the "Update Profile/Email Address"
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(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.zw4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fnews_updates.html).
For a sample of
the type of stories covered, read the two
recent editorials below.

Sincerely,

Eric Steenstra

President

Vote Hemp

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In this issue...
* Current Action Alerts
* Weekly News Update Sampler

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Weekly News Update Sampler

Our View: It's time for a victory for
hemp

Appeal-Democrat

Marysville-Yuba City, CA


The Assembly Public Safety Committee held
hearings Tuesday on AB684, the industrial
hemp bill sponsored principally by San
Francisco Democrat Mark Leno and Irvine
Republican Chuck DeVore. A similar bill,
allowing California farmers to grow
industrial hemp for food, fiber, cosmetics
and other products, passed the Legislature
last year but was vetoed by Gov.
Schwarzenegger.


The Legislature would do well not to be
discouraged by this history and pass AB684
overwhelmingly. Gov. Schwarzenegger, once he
understands that some of his stated reasons
for vetoing it last year are off-base, would
benefit all Californians by signing it.


[More...]
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.ydxwf5bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.appeal-democrat.com%2Fonset%3Fid%3D165%26template%3Darticle.html)



==========================================

Hemp hype

LA Daily News

Los Angeles, CA


HEMP may be a first cousin to marijuana, but
that's no reason to justify the continued ban
on the useful plant.


Indeed, the association with the illegal weed
has unfairly tainted hemp from being grown
and harvested. That's why the bill by Sen.
Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, to legalize
the farming of this durable and sustainable
crop ought to be supported by his colleagues.
Long a cause for hippie types, hemp has
gained popularity as a lucrative crop for
fiber.


There was never a very strong reason to ban
hemp, other than that the plant looked a lot
like marijuana. At a time when we need
renewable resources, there's even less
reason.


[More...]
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.9dxwf5bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.dailynews.com%2Fopinions%2Fci_5500453)



==========================================

Read more hemp news... -
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.zw4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fhttp://www.votehemp.com%2Fnews_updates.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Current Action Alerts

Nationwide: Click here
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.fasd87bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9370876%26type%3DCO)
to send a letter urging your
U.S. Representative to co-sponsor HR
1009, the "Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007."

California: Click here
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.8w4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9480636%26type%3DCU)
to send a letter urging your
state legislators to support AB 684.

Hawaii:
Click here
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.7w4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9484856%26type%3DCU)
to send a letter
urging your
state legislators to support HB 1535.



New Hampshire:
Click here
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.6w4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9485181%26type%3DCU)
to send a
letter urging your state legislators to
support HB 424.



North Dakota:
Click here
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.5w4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9485361%26type%3DCU)
to send a
letter urging your state legislators to
support HB 1020, HCR 3028 and HCR 3042.



South Carolina:
Click here
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.4w4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9485766%26type%3DCU)
to send a
letter urging your state legislators to
support H 3305.



Wisconsin:
Click here
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bmvke5bab.0.ax4yq6bab.77w8grbab.5302&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fcapwiz.com%2Fvotehemp%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D9486361%26type%3DCU)
to send a
letter urging your state legislators to
support AB 146.




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