Questions on Hemp Production

 We had our second Hemp Committee meeting at our capitol in Pierre on August 19.  At the last meeting, we had Kentucky testify and this time we had North Dakota; Montana; and our Sec. of Agriculture, Kim Vanneman; Sec. of Public Safety, Craig Price; and the Commander of the Highway Patrol, Colonel Rick Miller.  Also, the Director of Health testified.  I can’t remember her name, sorry. In all testimony, our cabinet secretaries did a heck of a job, and you could tell they were top-notch people.  However, our people, the cabinet secretaries from South Dakota, their testimony was 180 degrees different from the cabinet counterparts from ND, Kentucky and Montana.  In all three of these states: Kentucky, North Dakota, and Montana, they have implemented the production of industrial hemp.  Kentucky was on a pilot program starting in 2014.

Now, while we were in committee, the governor’s office came out via internet with 315 questions about hemp.  Talk about a preemptive strike!  You HAVE to look at these 315 questions.  They can be found at https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/rapidcityjournal.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/48/c4877130-f70d-56df-a1f7-4ebb128bcaa0/5d5b26356233f.pdf.pdf

Because of the length of these questions, I couldn’t get the local papers to publish them.  Here’s my plea to the papers:  please publish the 315 questions so the citizens of South Dakota can see them.

Here’s where we are at:  The Federal Farm Bill authorized the production of hemp with stipulations, primarily the level had to be below 0.3% THC.  THC is the substance in marijuana that make you high.  Out of the 105 legislators, 35 in the Senate and 70 in the House, I haven’t visited with a one who has stated they are interested in legalizing marijuana like Colorado has.  Our desire is to give our farmers and ranchers another source of income with a new cash crop.

This past session, we passed hemp production in the House and Senate, only to have it vetoed by the governor.  Once that happens, the veto can be overridden with a 2/3rds vote from the House and the Senate.  In the House we need 47 positive votes to get a 2/3rds majority, and we got 55.  However, in the Senate, we needed 24, and got 21 out of the 35 senators to vote to override the veto.  Consequently, the bill died.

In closing, please look up the governor’s 315 questions, and we’ll talk next week.

To the citizens of District 30 and to the men and women in uniform, in honor of all who served, in respectful memory of all who fell, and in great appreciation to those who serve today, Thank You, for giving me the opportunity to represent you.

Tim R. Goodwin, District 30 Representative

Tim.goodwin@sdlegislature.gov

Tgoodwin1955@gmail.com

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