Industrial Hemp Testimony (2011)

In 1999 North Dakota, Hawaii and Minnesota have passed legislation allowing their farmers to grow industrial hemp. The Kentucky Supreme Court has agreed to hear actor Woody Harrelson's case, which challenges Kentucky law that classifies hemp as marijuana. The Oregon State House Agriculture and Forestry Committee heard house Bill 2933 sponsored by Rep. Floyd Prozanski which would let Oregon farmers grow hemp, a cousin to marijuana that is useless for drug purposes but whose fibers, seeds, and oil have a multitude of industrial uses. Seven of the nine members of the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee including Chairman Larry Wells, R-Jefferson had told Prozanski they were willing to send the bill out for a floor vote. House Speaker Lynn Snodgrass told Wells not to take up the bill again. Wells, agreed that Prozanski probably had the votes to send the bill to the floor. But, he said, he had hearing on the bill, and would not bring it up for a committee vote unless she approved. Lynn Snodgrass, Speaker of the House of Representatives for the state of Oregon did not approve of the bill. Subsequently, it died April 30, 1999, without being put to a vote by the representatives of the state of Oregon.