Hemp Industry May Have Helped Write the Senate Bill That Would Deregulate It

Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) introduced a lofty bill to remove “government bureaucrats putting unnecessary burdens” on the hemp industry—a bill that was written with the help of the industry it would deregulate. Politico reports that the March bill that would exempt industrial farmers from background checks and testing guidelines was heavily consulted on by hemp lobbyists, some of whom brought the idea to Tester’s office in February and sent over an advance copy of the bill before it was introduced. “CONFIDENTIAL – Industrial Hemp Act, 2023,” read an email from a hemp advocate to a legislative assistant for Tester in February, which included a copy of the eventual bill. A Tester spokesperson told Politico that Tester’s office wrote the bill alongside the Senate Office of the Legislative Counsel after working with the industry on it for a year.