House Regulated Industries Committee approves substitute to HB 254 to let package stores sell hemp-based drinks; excise-tax review deferred to summer study

The House Regulated Industries Committee voted to approve a substitute to House Bill 254 on a voice vote, giving the Department of Revenue authority to promulgate rules allowing package stores to sell certain hemp-based beverage products while deferring any decision on excise taxes to a summer study.

The substitute to House Bill 254 (document cited as LC 28069S) was presented at the committee meeting by the chair, Representative Tier, who said the measure "does one thing only": it authorizes the Department of Revenue to write rules and regulations to allow sale of the products through package stores. Representative Tier said package stores "check IDs" and therefore are an appropriate retail channel.

The committee’s action follows prior hearings and testimony about hemp-derived products. Representative Tier said the issue first arose after last year’s hemp bill and related…