2016 -- S 2763

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LC004894

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Miller, Pichardo, Walaska, and Kettle

     Date Introduced: March 10, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 2 of the General Laws entitled "AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY"

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is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 26

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HEMP GROWTH ACT

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     2-26-1. Short title. – This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Hemp

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Growth Act."

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     2-26-2. Legislative findings. – The general assembly finds and declares as follows:

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     (1) The cannabis sativa plant used for the production of hemp is separate and distinct

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from forms of cannabis used to produce marijuana.

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     (2) Hemp is used for products such as building materials, cloth, cordage, fiber, food, floor

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coverings, fuel, industrial chemicals, paint, paper, particle board, plastics, seed meal, seed oil and

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yarn.

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     (3) Although federal law currently prohibits the cultivation and possession of hemp, the

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laws of California, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South

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Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia permit commercial hemp programs.

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Rhode Island joins in this effort so that farmers and other businesses in the Rhode Island

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agricultural industry can take advantage of this market opportunity.

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     (4) States are not required to enforce federal law or prosecute people for engaging in

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activities prohibited by federal law. Therefore, compliance with this chapter does not put the state

 

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of Rhode Island in violation of federal law.

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     2-26-3. Definitions. – When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the

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following meanings:

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     (1) "Division" means the division of agriculture in the department of environmental

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management.

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     (2) "Grower" means a person or entity that produces hemp for commercial purposes.

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     (3) "Handler" means a person or entity that produces hemp for processing into

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commodities, products, or agricultural hemp seed.

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     (4) "Hemp" means the plant of the genus cannabis and any part of such plant, whether

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growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration that does not exceed three-

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tenths percent (0.3%) on a dry weight basis of any part of the plant cannabis, or per volume or

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weight of marijuana product, or the combined percent of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol and

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tetrahydrocannabinolic acid in any part of the plant cannabis regardless of the moisture content.

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     (5) "Hemp products" means all products made from the plants, including, but not limited

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to, concentrated oil, cloth, cordage, fiber, food, fuel, paint, paper, construction materials, plastics,

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seed, seed meal, seed oil, and certified for cultivation.

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     (6) "THC" means tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal psychoactive constituent of

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cannabis.

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     (7) "THCA" means tetrahydrocannabinol acid.

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     2-26-4. Hemp an agricultural product. – Hemp is an agricultural product which may be

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grown as a crop, produced, possessed, distributed, and commercially traded pursuant to the

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provisions of this chapter. As an agricultural product, hemp is subject to regulation by the

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division.

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     2-26-5. Authority over licensing and sales. – (a) The division shall promulgate rules

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and regulations for the licensing and regulation of hemp cultivators and processors, and shall be

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responsible for the enforcement of such licensing and regulation.

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     (b) All growers and handlers must have a hemp license issued by the division.

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     (c) An application for a hemp license shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

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     (1) The name and address of the person or entity applying for licensure.

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     (2) A certificate of analysis that the seeds or plants obtained for cultivation are of a type

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and variety that do not exceed the maximum concentration of delta-9 THC as set forth in §2-26-

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3(4); any seeds obtained from a state or federal agency are presumed not to exceed the maximum

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concentration and do not require a certificate of analysis.

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     (3) The location of the facility, including the global positioning system location, and

 

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other field reference information as may be required by the division with a tracking program and

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security layout to ensure that all agriculture grown is tracked and monitored from seed to

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distribution outlets.

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     (4) An explanation of the seed to sale tracking, cultivation method, extraction method,

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and certificate of analysis or certificate of analysis for the standard hemp seeds.

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     (5) Verification prior to planting any seed, that the plant to be grown is of a type and

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variety of hemp that will produce a delta-9 THC concentration of no more than three-tenths of

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one percent (0.3%) on a dry weight basis.

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     (6) Documentation that the licensee has entered into a purchase agreement with a hemp

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processor.

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     (7) A national criminal background check with the bureau of criminal identification of

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the department of attorney general. The applicant shall pay the costs of any criminal identification

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background check.

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     (i) Any applicant who has been convicted of any felony offense under chapter 28 of title

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21, or any person who has been convicted of murder, manslaughter, first degree sexual assault,

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second degree sexual assault, first degree child molestation, second degree child molestation,

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kidnapping, first degree arson, second degree arson, mayhem, robbery, burglary, breaking and

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entering, assault with a dangerous weapon, or any assault and battery punishable as a felony or

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assault with intent to commit any offense punishable as a felony, shall be disqualified from

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holding any license or permit under this chapter. The division shall notify any applicant in

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writing, for a denial of a license pursuant to this subsection.

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     (ii) For purposes of this section, “conviction” means, in addition to judgements of

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conviction entered by a court subsequent to a finding of guilty, or plea of guilty, those instances

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where the defendant has entered a plea of nolo contendere and has received a sentence of

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probation, or those instances wherein the defendant has entered into a deferred sentence

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agreement with the attorney general.

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     (8) Any other information as set forth in rules and regulations as required by the division.

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     (d) All applicants shall register with the Rhode Island state police.

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     (e) The division shall charge a non-refundable application fee of two hundred fifty dollars

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($250) for each application to obtain a license. The division shall issue a hemp license to an

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applicant who meets the requirements of this chapter, upon the license grantee paying a licensure

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fee of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500). Said license shall be renewed every three (3)

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years upon payment of a two thousand five hundred dollar ($2,500) renewal fee. Any license

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holder convicted of any disqualifying offense described in subsection (c)(7)(i) of this section,

 

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shall have their license revoked.

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     2-26-6. Rulemaking authority. – (a) The division shall adopt rules to provide for the

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implementation of this chapter, which shall include rules to require hemp to be tested during

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growth for THC levels and to require inspection of hemp during sowing, growing season, harvest,

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storage, and processing. Included in these rules should be a system requiring the licensee to

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submit crop samples to an approved testing facility, as determined by the division, for testing and

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verification of compliance with the limits on delta-9 THC concentration.

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     (b) The division shall not adopt under this or any other section, a rule that would prohibit

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a person or entity to grow or distribute hemp based on the legal status of hemp under federal law.

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     2-26-7. Registration. – (a) Except as provided in this section, beginning sixty (60) days

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after the effective date of this chapter, the division shall accept applications for licensure to

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cultivate hemp.

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     (b) A person registered with the division pursuant to this chapter, shall allow hemp crops,

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throughout sowing, year-long growing seasons, harvest, storage, and processing, to be inspected

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and tested by and at the discretion of the division.

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     2-26-8. Methods of extraction. – (a) The division shall only permit the CO2 extraction

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method of extracting oil for the production of any hemp product.

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     (1) CO2 extraction also known as superficial fluid extraction (SFE), is the process of

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separating one component (the extricant) from another component (the matrix) using superficial

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fluids as the extracting solvent. Extraction is usually from a solid matrix, but can also be from

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liquids. SFE can be used as a sample preparation step for analytical purposes, or on a larger scale

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to either strip unwanted material from a product or collect a desired product.

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     (b) No butane method of extraction shall be allowed for any hemp product.

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     2-26-9. Research and educational growth by institutions of higher education. – (a)

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The division is authorized to certify any higher educational institution in Rhode Island to grow or

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cultivate industrial hemp for the purpose of agricultural or academic research where such higher

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educational institution submits the following to the division:

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     (1) The location where the higher educational institution intends to grow or cultivate the

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industrial hemp;

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     (2) The higher educational institution's research plan; and

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     (3) The name of the employee of the higher educational institution that will supervise the

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hemp growth, cultivation and research.

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     (b) Growth for purposes of agricultural and educational research by a higher educational

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institution shall not be subject to the licensing requirements set forth in §2-26-5.

 

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     (c) The division shall maintain a list of each higher education institution certified to grow

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or cultivate industrial hemp under this chapter.

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     2-26-10. Exemptions from state penalties. – (a) It is not a violation of this state or local

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law for a person to plant, grow, harvest, and possess hemp or hemp products provided that said

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person does so in compliance with this chapter and any rules adopted by the division.

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     (b) It is not a violation of state or local law for a person to purchase and possess hemp or

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hemp products provide that said person does so in compliance with this chapter and any rules

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adopted by the division.

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     2-26-11. Transfer of license prohibited. – (a) No license issued pursuant to this chapter,

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may be assigned, transferred, or sold to any other person or entity without the prior approval of

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the division.

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     (b) Any assignee, transferee or purchaser must comply with the application provisions set

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forth in §2-26-5 and any other rules and regulations as promulgated by the division.

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     SECTION 2. Section 21-28-1.02 of the General Laws in Chapter 21-28 entitled "Uniform

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Controlled Substances Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     21-28-1.02. Definitions. -- Unless the context otherwise requires, the words and phrases

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as defined in this section are used in this chapter in the sense given them in the following

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definitions:

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      (1) "Administer" refers to the direct application of controlled substances to the body of a

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patient or research subject by:

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      (i) A practitioner, or, in his or her presence by his or her authorized agent; or

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      (ii) The patient or research subject at the direction and in the presence of the practitioner

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whether the application is by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or any other means.

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      (2) "Agent" means an authorized person who acts on behalf of or at the direction of a

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manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, or dispenser; except that these terms do not include a

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common or contract carrier or warehouse operator, when acting in the usual and lawful course of

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the carrier's or warehouse operator's business.

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      (3) "Apothecary" means a registered pharmacist as defined by the laws of this state and,

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where the context requires, the owner of a licensed pharmacy or other place of business where

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controlled substances are compounded or dispensed by a registered pharmacist; and includes

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registered assistant pharmacists as defined by existing law, but nothing in this chapter shall be

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construed as conferring on a person who is not registered as a pharmacist any authority, right, or

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privilege that is not granted to him or her by the pharmacy laws of the state.

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      (4) "Automated data processing system" means a system utilizing computer software and

 

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hardware for the purposes of record keeping.

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      (5) "Computer" means programmable electronic device capable of multi-functions,

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including, but not limited to, storage, retrieval, and processing of information.

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      (6) "Control" means to add a drug or other substance or immediate precursor to a

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schedule under this chapter, whether by transfer from another schedule or otherwise.

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      (7) "Controlled substance" means a drug, substance, immediate precursor, or synthetic

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drug in schedules I -- V of this chapter. The term shall not include distilled spirits, wine, or malt

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beverages, as those terms are defined or used in chapter 1 of title 3, nor tobacco.

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      (8) "Counterfeit substance" means a controlled substance which, or the container or

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labeling of which, without authorization bears the trademark, trade name, or other identifying

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mark, imprint, number, or device, or any likeness of them, of a manufacturer, distributor, or

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dispenser, other than the person or persons who in fact manufactured, distributed, or dispensed

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the substance and which thereby falsely purports or is represented to be the product of, or to have

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been distributed by, the other manufacturer, distributor, or dispenser, or which substance is

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falsely purported to be or represented to be one of the controlled substances by a manufacturer,

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distributor, or dispenser.

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      (9) "CRT" means cathode ray tube used to impose visual information on a screen.

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      (10) "Deliver" or "delivery" means the actual, constructive, or attempted transfer of a

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controlled substance or imitation controlled substance, whether or not there exists an agency

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relationship.

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      (11) "Department" means the department of health of this state.

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      (12) "Depressant or stimulant drug" means:

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      (i) A drug which contains any quantity of:

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      (A) Barbituric acid or derivatives, compounds, mixtures, or preparations of barbituric

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acid; and

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      (B) "Barbiturate" or "barbiturates" includes all hypnotic and/or somnifacient drugs,

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whether or not derivatives of barbituric acid, except that this definition shall not include bromides

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and narcotics.

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      (ii) A drug which contains any quantity of:

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      (A) Amphetamine or any of its optical isomers;

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      (B) Any salt of amphetamine and/or desoxyephedrine or any salt of an optical isomer of

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amphetamine and/or desoxyephedrine, or any compound, mixture, or preparation of them.

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      (iii) A drug which contains any quantity of coca leaves. "Coca leaves" includes cocaine,

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or any compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of coca leaves, except

 

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derivatives of coca leaves, which do not contain cocaine, ecgonine, or substance from which

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cocaine or ecgonine may be synthesized or made.

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      (iv) Any other drug or substance which contains any quantity of a substance which the

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attorney general of the United States, or the director of health, after investigation, has found to

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have, or by regulation designates as having, a potential for abuse because of its depressant or

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stimulant effect on the central nervous system.

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      (13) "Director" means the director of health.

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      (14) "Dispense" means to deliver, distribute, leave with, give away, or dispose of a

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controlled substance to the ultimate user or human research subject by or pursuant to the lawful

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order of a practitioner, including the packaging, labeling, or compounding necessary to prepare

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the substance for that delivery.

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      (15) "Dispenser" is a practitioner who delivers a controlled substance to the ultimate user

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or human research subject.

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      (16) "Distribute" means to deliver (other than by administering or dispensing) a

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controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance and includes actual constructive, or

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attempted transfer. "Distributor" means a person who so delivers a controlled substance or an

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imitation controlled substance.

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      (17) "Downtime" means that period of time when a computer is not operable.

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      (18) "Drug addicted person" means a person who exhibits a maladaptive pattern of

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behavior resulting from drug use, including one or more of the following: impaired control over

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drug use; compulsive use; and/or continued use despite harm, and craving.

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      (19) "Drug Enforcement Administration" means the Drug Enforcement Administration

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United States Department of Justice or its successor.

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      (20) "Federal law" means the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of

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1970, (84 stat. 1236)(see generally 21 U.S.C. § 801 et seq.), and all regulations pertaining to that

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federal act.

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      (21) "Hardware" means the fixed component parts of a computer.

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      (22) "Hospital" means an institution as defined in chapter 17 of title 23.

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      (23) "Imitation controlled substance" means a substance that is not a controlled

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substance, which by dosage unit, appearance (including color, shape, size, and markings), or by

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representations made, would lead a reasonable person to believe that the substance is a controlled

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substance and, which imitation controlled substances contain substances which if ingested, could

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be injurious to the health of a person. In those cases when the appearance of the dosage unit is not

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reasonably sufficient to establish that the substance is an "imitation controlled substance" (for

 

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example in the case of powder or liquid), the court or authority concerned should consider, in

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addition to all other logically relevant factors, the following factors as related to "representations

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made" in determining whether the substance is an "imitation controlled substance":

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      (i) Statement made by an owner, possessor, transferor, recipient, or by anyone else in

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control of the substance concerning the nature of the substance, or its use or effect.

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      (ii) Statements made by the owner, possessor, or transferor, to the recipient that the

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substance may be resold for substantial profit.

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      (iii) Whether the substance is packaged in a manner reasonably similar to packaging of

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illicit controlled substances.

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      (iv) Whether the distribution or attempted distribution included an exchange of or

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demand for money or other property as consideration, and whether the amount of the

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consideration was substantially greater than the reasonable value of the non-controlled substance.

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      (24) "Immediate precursor" means a substance:

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      (i) Which the director of health has found to be and by regulation designated as being the

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principal compound used, or produced primarily for use, in the manufacture of a controlled

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substance;

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      (ii) Which is an immediate chemical intermediary used or likely to be used in the

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manufacture of those controlled substances; and

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      (iii) The control of which is necessary to prevent, curtail, or limit the manufacture of that

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controlled substance.

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      (25) "Laboratory" means a laboratory approved by the department of health as proper to

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be entrusted with controlled substances and the use of controlled substances for scientific and

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medical purposes and for the purposes of instruction.

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      (26) "Marijuana" means all parts of the plant cannabis sativa L., whether growing or not;

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the seeds of the plant; the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound,

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manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds or resin, but shall not

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include the mature stalks of the plant, fiber produced from the stalks, oil or cake made from the

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seeds of the plant, any other compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of

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mature stalks, (except the resin extracted from it), fiber, oil or cake, or the sterilized seed from the

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plant which is incapable of germination. Marijuana shall not include hemp, or hemp products as

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defined in §2-26-3.

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      (27) "Manufacture" means the production, preparation, propagation, cultivation,

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compounding, or processing of a drug or other substance, including an imitation controlled

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substance, either directly or indirectly or by extraction from substances of natural origin, or

 

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independently by means of chemical synthesis or by a combination of extraction and chemical

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synthesis and includes any packaging or repackaging of the substance or labeling or relabeling of

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its container in conformity with the general laws of this state except by a practitioner as an

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incident to his or her administration or dispensing of the drug or substance in the course of his or

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her professional practice.

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      (28) "Manufacturer" means a person who manufactures but does not include an

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apothecary who compounds controlled substances to be sold or dispensed on prescriptions.

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      (29) "Narcotic drug" means any of the following, whether produced directly or indirectly

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by extraction from substances of vegetable origin, or independently by means of chemical

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synthesis or by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis:

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      (i) Opium and opiates.

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      (ii) A compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, or preparation of opium or opiates.

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      (iii) A substance (and any compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, or preparation of it)

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which is chemically identical with any of the substances referred to in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of

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this subdivision.

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      (iv) Any other substance which the attorney general of the United States, or his or her

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successor, or the director of health, after investigation, has found to have, and by regulation

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designates as having, a potential for abuse similar to opium and opiates.

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      (30) "Official written order" means an order written on a form provided for that purpose

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by the Drug Enforcement Administration under any laws of the United States making provision

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for an official form, if order forms are authorized and required by federal law, and if no order

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form is provided then on an official form provided for that purpose by the director of health.

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      (31) "Opiate" means any substance having an addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining

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liability similar to morphine or being capable of conversion into a drug having addiction-forming

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or addiction-sustaining liability.

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      (32) "Opium poppy" means the plant of the species papaver somniferum L., except the

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seeds of the plant.

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      (33) "Ounce" means an avoirdupois ounce as applied to solids and semi-solids, and a

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fluid ounce as applied to liquids.

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      (34) "Person" means any corporation, association, partnership, or one or more

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individuals.

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      (35) "Physical dependence" means a state of adaptation that is manifested by a drug class

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specific withdrawal syndrome that can be produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction,

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decreasing blood level of the drug, and/or administration of an antagonist.

 

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      (36) "Poppy straw" means all parts, except the seeds, of the opium poppy, after mowing.

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      (37) "Practitioner" means:

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      (i) A physician, osteopath, dentist, chiropodist, veterinarian, scientific investigator, or

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other person licensed, registered or permitted to distribute, dispense, conduct research with

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respect to or to administer a controlled substance in the course of professional practice or research

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in this state.

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      (ii) A pharmacy, hospital, or other institution licensed, registered or permitted to

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distribute, dispense, conduct research with respect to, or to administer a controlled substance in

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the course of professional practice or research in this state.

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      (38) "Printout" means a hard copy produced by computer that is readable without the aid

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of any special device.

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      (39) "Production" includes the manufacture, planting, cultivation, growing, or harvesting

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of a controlled substance.

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      (40) "Researcher" means a person authorized by the director of health to conduct a

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laboratory as defined in this chapter.

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      (41) "Sell" includes sale, barter, gift, transfer, or delivery in any manner to another, or to

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offer or agree to do the same.

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      (42) "Software" means programs, procedures and storage of required information data.

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      (43) "Synthetic drugs" means any synthetic cannabinoids or piperazines or any synthetic

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cathinones as provided for in schedule I.

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      (44) "Ultimate user" means a person who lawfully possesses a controlled substance for

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his or her own use or for the use of a member of his or her household, or for administering to an

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animal owned by him or her or by a member of his or her household.

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      (45) "Wholesaler" means a person who sells, vends, or distributes at wholesale, or as a

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jobber, broker agent, or distributor, or for resale in any manner in this state any controlled

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substance.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

***

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     This act would permit the growth of hemp by properly licensed individuals or entities that

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have applied and met the requirements of this chapter. It would also provide that higher

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educational institutions could grow hemp for educational and research purposes. It would exclude

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hemp and hemp products from the prohibitions set forth in chapter 28 of title 21 as they relate

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marijuana.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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