Georgia committee holds hearing on HB 757 to expand kratom regulation and enforcement

The Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee on Monday heard House Bill 757, a proposal to bring kratom processors under the Department of Agricultureand create a registration and enforcement regime for kratom products sold in Georgia.

Representative Kelly opened the hearing, saying the bill would require processors to register annually and make sworn statements about product contents and safety, with the Department of Agriculture overseeing distribution and retail sales. "The beginning of the bill talks about processors of kratom, those who are actually processing, the kratom product, making them register, with the department annually and asking them to swear certain statements about the safety," Representative Kelly said.

The measure was presented as a two-year bill intended to let the committee refine enforcement details. Kelly told members he planned to restore a misdemeanor penalty in the billremoving a prior strike that had moved some penalties to administrative finesand that language creating a civil remedy for injuries caused by kratom might be added during revision.

Why it matters: Supporters said the bill would curb unsafe products and "get rid of the bad actors," while…