In the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, Lisa Kaczke reports in Gov. Kristi Noem drops her opposition to legalizing hemp, seeks compromise with lawmakers:
South Dakota lawmakers are ready to work with Gov. Kristi Noem on industrial hemp legislation after she indicated she's ready to compromise.
Noem has staunchly opposed legalizing industrial hemp for nearly a year, but in a memo to legislators on Thursday, she listed four regulations that need to be in an industrial hemp bill for her to sign it. The four "guardrails" she included in the memo are reliable enforcement, responsible regulation, safe transportation and adequate funding.
"Everyone knows I don't think it's a good idea," she said in a Facebook video announcing her decision Thursday morning.
She vetoed a bill to legalize industrial hemp during the 2019 session because it didn't address her concerns about public safety, law enforcement or funding, she said.
Circumstances have changed since then, however. Federal guidelines have been put in place, South Dakota's tribes have begun receiving federal approval to grow hemp and the need to address the legal transportation of it through South Dakota, she said.
Legislators studying the hemp issue ahead of the 2020 session also did "great work" that included some "good ideas," she said. . . .
Read the rest at the Argus Leader. There's more Noem in Dakota Radio Group's Megan Sexton's reporting in Four Guardrails: Noem Proposes a Path Forward for Decriminalizing Industrial Hemp:
Governor Kristi Noem today sent the legislature her “Four Guardrails” for a path forward on decriminalizing industrial hemp. She also released the following statement:
“Over the last year, we’ve had a long conversation about legalizing hemp, and everyone knows that I don’t think it’s a good idea.
“Last year, I vetoed a bill that didn’t address concerns surrounding public safety, law enforcement, or funding. I asked the legislature to wait until we had direction from the federal government and a plan to address those concerns. Now since that time, things have changed. Federal guidelines have been put in place, a South Dakota tribe has been given the green light on production, and other states’ actions mean we need to address hemp transportation through our state. The legislative summer study also did great work, and they included some good ideas.
“Today, I am outlining for the legislature a path forward – four guardrails, if you will – on hemp. These include: 1) reliable enforcement standards; 2) responsible regulations regarding licensing, reporting, and inspections; 3) an appropriate plan for safe transportation; and 4) an adequate funding plan.
“Given all that we need to accomplish this session, if we can get this done in the coming weeks, it would be a good way to kick off this year’s legislative session.”
This should be good news for South Dakota farmers hoping to diversify their rotations.
Photo: Hemp Code perfume. May the odor of compromise smell like money to South Dakota's farmers.
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