Pubdate: Wed, 13 Mar 2013
Source: Glasgow Daily Times (KY)
Copyright: 2013 Glasgow Daily Times
Contact:  http://www.glasgowdailytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2078
Author: Ronnie Ellis, CNHI News Service
Page: A3

ADKINS PROPOSES HEMP AMENDMENT

FRANKFORT - Late Tuesday night, House Majority Leader Rocky Adkins, 
DSandy Hook, said he's been in discussions with Agriculture 
Commissioner James Comer about ways to improve a bill Comer wanted 
and the Senate passed to form a regulatory framework for growing 
industrial hemp.

The Republican-controlled Senate passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Paul 
Hornback, RShelbyville, and backed by Comer to set up a "framework" 
for licensing and growing hemp if the federal government allowed its 
cultivation. The crop is currently illegal to grow in the U.S. under 
federal law.

The Kentucky State Police and others opposed the bill and House 
Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said the bill was unnecessary 
and depended on projected markets that no one could verify.

That all changed with Adkins' speech at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Adkins said he began work on an amendment to tie a five-year hemp 
demonstration project to the University of Kentucky and its Center 
for Applied Energy "after working with the Speaker and the 
commissioner (Comer)."

Hornback said he'd heard nothing about the amendment until Adkins 
made his speech. And despite Adkins' statement that Comer was aware 
of Adkins work on a way "to broaden and improve the bill," Hornback 
said Comer has said nothing to him about it.

Adkins' bill would change the Hemp Commission membership and make the 
UK Dean of Agriculture and the KSP Commissioner co-chairs. He would 
leave Comer as a member, but would make KSP responsible for licensing 
growers and processors.

Hornback's bill would place licensing in the Agriculture Department 
and also make the Ag Department responsible for testing to 
distinguish hemp from marijuana.

Adkins' proposal would also "incentivize" growers and processors by 
offering tax credits for the costs of production and machinery. Comer 
and Hornback have repeatedly said their proposal involved no tax 
incentives for hemp.

Stumbo, as late as Tuesday, said he would not agree to the hemp bill 
until law enforcement concerns were addressed. After Adkins' speech, 
Stumbo said the amendment would put KSP in charge of background 
checks for all growers and the amendment "is definitely a step forward."

Comer's spokeswoman, Holly Harris VonLuehrte, said Comer knew nothing 
of Adkins' amendment until he watched Adkins' speech on Kentucky 
Education Television.

She said Comer had met with Adkins Friday, but hadn't heard back from 
Adkins since, despite repeated calls and texts trying to reach 
Adkins. She said Comer won't agree to move the Hemp Commission out of 
the Agriculture Department.

"We were blindsided," VonLuehrte said. "Really, it's a joke."

The House did not vote on Adkins' amendment, nor did he ask them to.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom