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A BIG
thank you to
Delegate Brenda Pogge
(R-96
th
) of James City and York County
for being our
champion f
or the Commonwealth's
Hemp industry
as chief patron of
House Bill 699!
The
VIHC
has
worked with Delegate P
ogge to draft House Bill 699 - the Virginia
hemp industry preparation act of
2016
-
which goes beyond just
University research, putting
Virginia in great position
for
creating new jobs and businesses
when Industrial Hemp
is finally once and for all
removed from
the federal Controlled Substances Act.
HB699 prepares the
proper legal
and regulatory
footing
for Virginia's farmers, processors, and businesses to proceed lawfully as soon as the Federal Government makes
further necessary reforms
through passage of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act
(
S.134
and
H.R. 525
).
HB699 Clarifies that it is lawful for a person with a VDACS license to manufacture industrial hemp products or engage in scientific, agricultural, or other research involving the applications of industrial hemp and that no person shall be prosecuted for the possession, cultivation, or manufacture of industrial hemp plant material or products. The current law authorizes the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services to adopt regulations necessary to license persons to grow industrial hemp or administer a research program. This bill requires the Board to adopt regulations as necessary to license persons to grow and process industrial hemp for any purpose and requires the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to establish a licensure program, with a maximum license fee of $250.
This is the first week of the 2016 General Assembly 2016 session. Please make an effort to CALL your State Delegate and ask for their support and sponsorship on HB699! A Senate companion bill is coming soon. Also don't forget to personally thank Delegate Brenda Pogge for her leadership on hemp!
General Assembly Building, Room 403
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Jason Amatucci and Jim Politis lobbying. '15 |
The
current edited version has details of giving timetables of
dates and 60 days max for
Va. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)
to process licenses so the farmers and businesses won't have delays. Also mandates VDACS to set up a renewal process with deadlines and makes the licenses good for two years.
Meetings of the General Assembly are required by law to be open to the public. Citizen testimony in committee and subcommittee is encouraged. We invite all VIHC members to j
oin us to speak on behalf of HB699
which we anticipate
being held sometime after VIHC's lobby day next Tuesday, January 19
th
.
We ask that you please consider joining us at the Capitol in Richmond next Tuesday.
I
f you cannot make it to Richmond?
YOU CAN STILL LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
Members of the General Assembly want and need citizen input when crafting laws. As a citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia, it is your right to voice your opinion regarding pending legislat
ion. The Chief Patron of HB 699
, Delegate
Pogge (R-96
th
) has asked the Coalition to contact their legislators
on the Agriculture Committee
THIS MONTH
and request their support for
HB699
the Virginia
hemp industry preparation act of
2016
;
through phone calls, letters, email, or through visits to their home and Richmond legislative offices.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR THIS MONTH SO THAT THEY BECOME AWARE OF HB699 the Virginia hemp industry preparation act of 2016!
STEP 1.
Know who your
Senator
or
Delegate
is and how to contact them. If you don't know who represe
nts you in the Virginia Legislature
you can find out by using
Who's My Legislator.
Call their Richmond offices TODAY to set up a sit down meeting with your Delegate next Tuesday the 19th. These face to face meetings
are extremely constructive.
Make sure you understand the legislative process. Even the most basic
understanding of the process
will help you effectively express your ideas. If you need some lobbying documents and info packets to accompany you on your visit, please just send us a request at
info@vahemp.org.
STEP 2
.
FW: SPREAD THE GOOD WORD
Become a voice and beacon for
industrial
hemp to all your friends and family in other districts so that they can also try to set up face to face meetings, calls, or emails. Forward this email to a friend by clicking on the bottom of the email!
Do you use Social Media? If
so, please just simply share VIHC
posts online during the GA session.
So what can you do to advance the Virginia
hemp industry preparation act of 2016
(
HB699
) further this month? Simply,
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Upcoming Events
Join us in Richmo
nd at the General Assembly next
week on
Tuesday, January 19 at 10AM to 4PM.
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Virginia Industrial Hemp Coalition
2663 Rockfish Valley Hwy, #396
Nellysford, VA 22958
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