House Commerce Committee hears omnibus cannabis bill; debate centers on testing, hemp beverages and CBD rules

At a House Commerce Committee hearing on House File 1615 (DE), lawmakers and stakeholders reviewed an omnibus cannabis policy bill that would revise medical cannabis rules, establish a licensing variance for testing facilities, and change hemp licensing and labeling for low‑potency hemp beverages. Committee chairs said member questions and final consideration of the DE amendment will occur at a meeting tomorrow.

The bill is divided into three articles, Ben Johnson of House Research told the committee: Article 1 addresses medical cannabis provisions and changes to statutes in Chapter 152 and Chapter 342 related to visiting patients and tribal medical programs; Article 2 makes technical fixes to licensing and creates a variance so testing laboratories may operate while pursuing accreditation; and Article 3 updates hemp business regulations, including a new lower‑potency hemp wholesaler license and changes to beverage serving‑size language.

"House file 16 15 DE is divided into 3 articles," Ben Johnson, House Research, said in a high‑level walkthrough. On testing labs, Johnson said the DE includes language to allow the office to "grant a variance to testing facilities when the testing facility makes certain demonstrations that…