Bill Text: CA SB1409 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Industrial hemp.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-2)

Status: (Passed) 2018-09-30 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 986, Statutes of 2018. [SB1409 Detail]

Download: California-2017-SB1409-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  April 02, 2018

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 1409

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Introduced by Senator Wilk
(Coauthors: Senators Galgiani and Glazer)
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Lackey)

February 16, 2018

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An act to amend Sections 81000, 81002, 81003, 81004, and 81006 of, and to add Section 81007 to, the Food and Agricultural Code, and to amend Section 11018.5 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to industrial hemp, and making an appropriation therefor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1409, as amended, Wilk. Industrial hemp.

(1) Existing law governs the growth of industrial hemp and imposes specified procedures and requirements on a person who grows industrial hemp, not including an established agricultural research institution. Existing law defines “industrial hemp” to be the same as that term is defined in the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act, which defines that term as a fiber or oilseed crop, or both, that is limited to the nonpsychoactive types of the plant Cannabis sativa L. and the seed produced from that plant, and that meets other specified criteria. Existing law requires that industrial hemp only be grown if it is on the list of approved hemp seed cultivars, which includes industrial hemp seed cultivars certified on or before January 1, 2013, by specific organizations, except as specified. Existing law requires industrial hemp to be grown only as a densely planted fiber or oilseed crop, or both, in minimum acreages, as provided, except as specified. Existing law prohibits the ornamental and clandestine cultivation of industrial hemp plants, and, except under specified circumstances, pruning and tending of individual industrial hemp plants and culling of industrial hemp.

Existing law requires a grower of industrial hemp, as specified, and a seed breeder, as defined, to register with the county agricultural commissioner and to pay a registration or renewal fee, as specified. Existing law requires that the fees be deposited into the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund and continuously appropriated for use in the administration and enforcement of these provisions. Existing law requires that an application for registration include information about the approved seed cultivar to be grown and whether the seed cultivar will be grown for its grain or fiber, or as a dual purpose crop, or, in the case of a seed breeder, for seed production.

This bill would delete the requirement that industrial hemp seed cultivars be certified on or before January 1, 2013, in order to be included on the list of approved hemp seed cultivars. The bill would also delete the prohibitions on ornamental cultivation of industrial hemp plants, pruning and tending of individual industrial hemp plants, and culling of industrial hemp. By establishing a new source sources of revenue for a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.

Under the bill, “industrial hemp” would no longer be defined in the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act as a fiber or oilseed crop. The bill would delete the requirement that industrial hemp be grown as a fiber or oilseed crop, or both. The bill would also delete the requirement that an application for registration include information about whether a seed cultivar is being grown for its grain or fiber, or as a dual purpose crop.

The bill would authorize a city or county county, by local ordinance, to waive prohibit growers or seed breeders from conducting, or otherwise limit growers’ or seed breeders’ conduct of, industrial hemp cultivation, regardless of whether growers or seed breeders meet, or are exempt from, the registration requirements in the above-described provisions by local ordinance, as provided. provisions or any other law.

(2) Existing federal law, the Agricultural Act of 2014, authorizes an institution of higher education, as defined, or a state department of agriculture, as defined, to grow or cultivate industrial hemp under an agricultural pilot program, as defined, under certain conditions, including the condition that a state department of agriculture is authorized to promulgate regulations to carry out the pilot program in accordance with specified purposes.

The bill would also authorize the department, as part of the industrial hemp registration program, to establish and carry out, by regulation, an agricultural pilot program pursuant to the federal Agricultural Act of 2014 in accordance with those specified purposes.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: YES   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.Section 81000 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

81000.

Definitions.

For purposes of this division, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a)“Board” means the Industrial Hemp Advisory Board.

(b)“Commissioner” means the county agricultural commissioner.

(c)“Established agricultural research institution” means any institution that is either:

(1)A public or private institution or organization that maintains land or facilities for agricultural research, including colleges, universities, agricultural research centers, and conservation research centers; or

(2)An institution of higher education (as defined in Section 1001 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that grows, cultivates or manufactures industrial hemp for purposes of research conducted under an agricultural pilot program or other agricultural or academic research.

(d)“Industrial hemp” has the same meaning as that term is defined in Section 11018.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

(e)“Secretary” means the Secretary of Food and Agriculture.

(f)“Seed breeder” means an individual or public or private institution or organization that is registered with the commissioner to develop seed cultivars intended for sale or research, unless subject to a waiver pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 81004.

(g)“Seed cultivar” means a variety of industrial hemp.

(h)“Seed development plan” means a strategy devised by a seed breeder, or applicant seed breeder, detailing his or her planned approach to growing and developing a new seed cultivar for industrial hemp.

SEC. 2.SECTION 1.

 Section 81002 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

81002.

 (a) Except when grown by an established agricultural research institution or by a seed breeder developing a new California seed cultivar, industrial hemp shall only be grown if it is on the list of approved seed cultivars.

(b) The list of approved seed cultivars shall include all of the following:

(1) Industrial hemp seed cultivars that have been certified by member organizations of the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies, including, but not limited to, the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association.

(2) Industrial hemp seed cultivars that have been certified by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development.

(3) California varieties of industrial hemp seed cultivars that have been certified by a seed-certifying agency pursuant to Article 6.5 (commencing with Section 52401) of Chapter 2 of Division 18.

(c) Upon recommendation by the board or the department, the secretary may update the list of approved seed cultivars by adding, amending, or removing seed cultivars.

(1) The adoption, amendment, or repeal of the list of approved seed cultivars, and the adoption of a methodology and procedure to add, amend, or remove a seed cultivar from the list of approved seed cultivars, pursuant to this section shall not be subject to the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

(2) The department, in consultation with the board, shall hold at least one public hearing with public comment to determine the methodology and procedure by which a seed cultivar is added, amended, or removed from the list of approved seed cultivars.

(3) The department shall finalize the methodology and procedure to add, amend, or remove a seed cultivar from the list of approved seed cultivars and send the methodology and procedure to the Office of Administrative Law. The Office of Administrative Law shall file the methodology and procedure promptly with the Secretary of State without further review pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 11349) of Chapter 3.5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The methodology and procedure shall do all of the following:

(A) Indicate that the methodology and procedure are adopted pursuant to this division.

(B) State that the methodology and procedure are being transmitted for filing.

(C) Request that the Office of Administrative Law publish a notice of the filing of the methodology and procedure and print an appropriate reference in Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations.

(d) The department, in consultation with the board, may determine the manner in which the public is given notice of the list of approved seed cultivars, and any addition, amendment, or removal from that list.

SEC. 3.SEC. 2.

 Section 81003 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

81003.

 (a) Except for an established agricultural research institution, and before cultivation, a grower of industrial hemp for commercial purposes shall register with the commissioner of the county in which the grower intends to engage in industrial hemp cultivation.

(1) The application shall include all of the following:

(A) The name, physical address, and mailing address of the applicant.

(B) The legal description, Global Positioning System coordinates, and map of the land area on which the applicant plans to engage in industrial hemp cultivation, storage, or both.

(C) The approved seed cultivar to be grown.

(2) (A) The application shall be accompanied by a registration fee, as determined pursuant to Section 81005.

(B) A registration issued pursuant to this section shall be valid for two years, after which the registrant shall renew his or her registration and pay an accompanying renewal fee, as determined pursuant to Section 81005.

(b) If Subject to subdivision (f), if the commissioner determines that the requirements for registration pursuant to this division are met, the commissioner shall issue a registration to the applicant.

(c) A registrant that wishes to alter the land area on which the registrant conducts industrial hemp cultivation, storage, or both, shall, before altering the area, submit to the commissioner an updated legal description, Global Positioning System coordinates, and map specifying the proposed alteration. Once the commissioner has received the change to the registration, the commissioner shall notify the registrant that it may cultivate industrial hemp on the altered land area.

(d) A registrant that wishes to change the seed cultivar grown shall submit to the commissioner the name of the new, approved seed cultivar to be grown. Once the commissioner has received the change to the registration, the commissioner shall notify the registrant that it may cultivate the new seed cultivar.

(e) The commissioner shall transmit information collected under this section to the department.

(f) A city or county may waive the requirements of this section prohibit growers from conducting, or otherwise limit growers’ conduct of, industrial hemp cultivation in the city or county by local ordinance. ordinance, regardless of whether growers meet, or are exempt from, requirements for registration pursuant to this division or any other law. A waiver limitation pursuant to this subdivision shall be effective as of the date on which the city or county notifies the department, secretary, and applicable commissioner of the waiver. limitation.

SEC. 4.SEC. 3.

 Section 81004 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

81004.

 (a) Except when grown by an established agricultural research institution, and before cultivation, a seed breeder shall register with the commissioner of the county in which the seed breeder intends to engage in industrial hemp cultivation.

(1) The application shall include all of the following:

(A) The name, physical address, and mailing address of the applicant.

(B) The legal description, Global Positioning System coordinates, and map of the land area on which the applicant plans to engage in industrial hemp cultivation, storage, or both.

(C) The approved seed cultivar to be grown for seed production.

(D) If an applicant intends to develop a new California seed cultivar to be certified by a seed-certifying agency, the applicant shall include all of the following:

(i) The name of the seed-certifying agency that will be conducting the certification.

(ii) The industrial hemp varieties that will be used in the development of the new California seed cultivar.

(iii) A seed development plan specifying how the listed industrial hemp varieties will be used in the development of the new seed cultivar, measures that will be taken to prevent the unlawful use of industrial hemp or seed cultivars under this division, and a procedure for the maintenance of records documenting the development of the new seed cultivar.

(2) (A) The application shall be accompanied by a registration fee, as determined pursuant to Section 81005.

(B) A registration issued pursuant to this section shall be valid for two years, after which the registrant shall renew its registration and pay an accompanying renewal fee, as determined pursuant to Section 81005.

(b) If Subject to subdivision (h), if the commissioner determines that the requirements for registration pursuant to this division are met, the commissioner shall issue a seed breeder registration to the applicant.

(c) A registrant that wishes to alter the land area on which the registrant conducts industrial hemp cultivation, storage, or both, shall, before altering the area, submit to the commissioner an updated legal description, Global Positioning System coordinates, and map specifying the proposed alteration. Once the commissioner has received the change to the registration, the commissioner shall notify the registrant that it may cultivate industrial hemp on the altered land area.

(d) A registrant that wishes to change the seed cultivar grown shall submit to the commissioner the name of the new, approved seed cultivar to be grown. Once the commissioner has received the change to the registration, the commissioner shall notify the registrant that it may cultivate the new seed cultivar.

(e) A registrant developing a new California seed cultivar who wishes to change any provision of the seed development plan shall submit to the commissioner the revised seed development plan. Once the commissioner has received the change to the registration, the commissioner shall notify the registrant that he or she may cultivate under the revised seed development plan.

(f) All records pertaining to the seed development plan shall be kept and maintained by the seed breeder and be available upon request by the commissioner, a law enforcement agency, or a seed certifying agent.

(g) The commissioner shall transmit information collected under this section to the department.

(h) A city or county may waive the requirements of this section prohibit seed breeders from conducting, or otherwise limit seed breeders’ conduct of, industrial hemp cultivation in the city or county by local ordinance. ordinance, regardless of whether the seed breeders meet, or are exempt from, requirements for registration pursuant to this division or any other law. A waiver limitation pursuant to this subdivision shall be effective as of the date on which the city or county notifies the department, secretary, and applicable commissioner of the waiver. limitation.

SEC. 5.SEC. 4.

 Section 81006 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

81006.

 Industrial Hemp Growth Limitations; Prohibitions; Imports; Laboratory Testing.

(a) (1) Except when grown by an established agricultural research institution or a seed breeder, industrial hemp shall be grown only as a densely planted crop in acreages of not less than one-tenth of an acre at the same time.

(2) Seed breeders, for purposes of seed production, shall only grow industrial hemp as a densely planted crop in acreages of not less than one-tenth of an acre at the same time.

(3) Seed breeders, for purposes of developing a new California seed cultivar, shall grow industrial hemp as densely as possible in dedicated acreage of not less than one-tenth of an acre and in accordance with the seed development plan. The entire area of the dedicated acreage is not required to be used for the cultivation of the particular seed cultivar.

(b) Ornamental and clandestine Clandestine cultivation of industrial hemp is prohibited. All plots shall have adequate signage indicating they are industrial hemp.

(c)Pruning and tending of individual industrial hemp plants is prohibited, except when grown by an established agricultural research institution or when the action is necessary to perform the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) testing described in this section.

(d)Culling of industrial hemp is prohibited, except when grown by an established agricultural research institution, when the action is necessary to perform the THC testing described in this section, or for purposes of seed production and development by a seed breeder.

(e)

(c) Industrial hemp shall include products imported under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (2013) of the United States International Trade Commission, including, but not limited to, hemp seed, per subheading 1207.99.03, hemp oil, per subheading 1515.90.80, oilcake, per subheading 2306.90.01, true hemp, per heading 5302, true hemp yarn, per subheading 5308.20.00, and woven fabrics of true hemp fibers, per subheading 5311.00.40.

(f)

(d) Except when industrial hemp is grown by an established agricultural research institution, a grower of registrant that grows industrial hemp under this section shall, before the harvest of each crop and as provided below, obtain a laboratory test report indicating the THC levels of a random sampling of the dried flowering tops of the industrial hemp grown.

(1) Sampling shall occur as soon as practicable when the THC content of the leaves surrounding the seeds is at its peak and shall commence as the seeds begin to mature, when the first seeds of approximately 50 percent of the plants are resistant to compression.

(2) The entire fruit-bearing part of the plant including the seeds shall be used as a sample. The sample cut shall be made directly underneath the inflorescence found in the top one-third of the plant.

(3) The sample collected for THC testing shall be accompanied by the following documentation:

(A) The grower’s registrant’s proof of registration, if applicable. registration.

(B) Seed certification documentation for the seed cultivar used.

(C) The THC testing report for each certified seed cultivar used.

(4) The laboratory test report shall be issued by a laboratory registered with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, shall state the percentage content of THC, shall indicate the date and location of samples taken, and shall state the Global Positioning System coordinates and total acreage of the crop. If the laboratory test report indicates a percentage content of THC that is equal to or less than three-tenths of 1 percent, the words “PASSED AS CALIFORNIA INDUSTRIAL HEMP” shall appear at or near the top of the laboratory test report. If the laboratory test report indicates a percentage content of THC that is greater than three-tenths of 1 percent, the words “FAILED AS CALIFORNIA INDUSTRIAL HEMP” shall appear at or near the top of the laboratory test report.

(5) If the laboratory test report indicates a percentage content of THC that is equal to or less than three-tenths of 1 percent, the laboratory shall provide the person who requested the testing not less than 10 original copies signed by an employee authorized by the laboratory and shall retain one or more original copies of the laboratory test report for a minimum of two years from its date of sampling.

(6) If the laboratory test report indicates a percentage content of THC that is greater than three-tenths of 1 percent and does not exceed 1 percent, the grower of registrant that grows industrial hemp shall submit additional samples for testing of the industrial hemp grown.

(7) A grower of registrant that grows industrial hemp shall destroy the industrial hemp grown upon receipt of a first laboratory test report indicating a percentage content of THC that exceeds 1 percent or a second laboratory test report pursuant to paragraph (6) indicating a percentage content of THC that exceeds three-tenths of 1 percent but is less than 1 percent. If the percentage content of THC exceeds 1 percent, the destruction shall take place within 48 hours after receipt of the laboratory test report. If the percentage content of THC in the second laboratory test report exceeds three-tenths of 1 percent but is less than 1 percent, the destruction shall take place as soon as practicable, but no later than 45 days after receipt of the second test report.

(8) A person registrant that intends to grow industrial hemp and who complies with this section shall not be prosecuted for the cultivation or possession of marijuana as a result of a laboratory test report that indicates a percentage content of THC that is greater than three-tenths of 1 percent but does not exceed 1 percent.

(9) Established agricultural research institutions shall be permitted to cultivate or possess industrial hemp with a laboratory test report that indicates a percentage content of THC that is greater than three-tenths of 1 percent if that cultivation or possession contributes to the development of types of industrial hemp that will comply with the three-tenths of 1 percent THC limit established in this division.

(10) Except for an established agricultural research institution, a grower of registrant that grows industrial hemp shall retain an original signed copy of the laboratory test report for two years from its date of sampling, make an original signed copy of the laboratory test report available to the department, the commissioner, or law enforcement officials or their designees upon request, and shall provide an original copy of the laboratory test report to each person purchasing, transporting, or otherwise obtaining from the grower of registrant that grows industrial hemp the fiber, oil, cake, or seed, or any component of the seed, of the plant.

(g)

(e) If, in the Attorney General’s opinion issued pursuant to Section 8 of the act that added this division, it is determined that the provisions of this section are not sufficient to comply with federal law, the department, in consultation with the board, shall establish procedures for this section that meet the requirements of federal law.

SEC. 6.SEC. 5.

 Section 81007 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:

81007.

 As part of the registration program established pursuant to this division, the department may establish and carry out, by regulation, an agricultural pilot program pursuant to Section 7606 of the federal Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 5940) in accordance with the purposes of that section.

SEC. 7.SEC. 6.

 Section 11018.5 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

11018.5.

 (a) “Industrial hemp” means a crop that is limited to types of the plant Cannabis sativa L. having no more than three-tenths of 1 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) contained in the dried flowering tops, whether growing or not; the seeds of the plant; the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds or resin produced therefrom.

(b) Industrial hemp shall not be subject to the provisions of this division or of Division 10 (commencing with Section 26000) of the Business and Professions Code, but instead shall be regulated by the Department of Food and Agriculture in accordance with the provisions of Division 24 (commencing with Section 81000) of the Food and Agricultural Code, inclusive.