Senate Committee Passes Good Bill Prohibiting Drugs Made From Hemp

Marijuana, ,

On Tuesday the Senate Agriculture Committee passed a good bill prohibiting dangerous drugs like THC made from hemp.

THC is the main psychoactive drug found in marijuana.

In 2018, Congress passed the federal Agriculture Improvement Act legalizing industrial hemp — or cannabis — that is low in THC. The goal was to make it possible for farmers to grow cannabis plants for use in textiles like rope or cloth.

But manufacturers have found ways to extract and refine the little bit of THC in industrial hemp. Doing this on a commercial scale means they can produce a lot of THC to infuse into drinks, candies, e-cigarettes, and other products.

Many state and federal policymakers have pushed back against these dangerous drugs.

For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that federal law prohibits the addition of hemp-derived THC in food products.

The Massachusetts Department of Health has prohibited the sale of food or drinks containing THC made from hemp.

South Dakota recently passed a law prohibiting the sale of products containing THC made from hemp.

And California has issued executive rules prohibiting food and drinks that contain THC made from hemp.

In 2023, Arkansas passed Act 629 by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R – Paragould) to prohibit THC made from industrial hemp.

Family Council supported that good law, and the legislature voted to pass it.

However, members of the hemp industry filed a lawsuit against Act 629, and the law has been tied up in federal court ever since.

In March, Sen. Dees and Rep. Gazaway filed S.B. 533 to address the issues raised in the lawsuit over Act 629.

S.B. 533 is a good bill that would help prohibit intoxicating hemp products that contain THC and other drugs in Arkansas.

The bill effectively stops THC and other drugs made from hemp from being put into food or drinks sold in the state.

It also contains provisions to ensure other hemp products — like CBD oil or cosmetics — do not contain dangerous drugs or other contaminants.

On Tuesday, the Senate Agriculture Committee passed S.B. 533 to prohibit drugs made from hemp.

This good bill now goes to the entire Arkansas Senate for consideration.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE

Arkansas Senate Passes Good Ultrasound Education Bill

Abortion, , , , ,

On Tuesday the Arkansas Senate passed a good bill to help teach public school students about unborn children.

S.B. 450 by Sen. Breanne Davis (R — Russellville) and Rep. Kendra Moore (R — Lincoln) lets public school students see a recording of a high-definition ultrasound video as part of human fetal growth and development education courses.

The bill also lets students learn important facts about how unborn children develop in the womb.

S.B. 450 passed with overwhelming support in the Arkansas Senate on Tuesday afternoon. The bill now goes to the Arkansas House of Representatives for consideration.

As we have said time and again, ultrasound images help demonstrate that unborn children are human beings.

Very few medical advancements have done more to change hearts and minds on abortion than ultrasound technology. In fact, research has shown that some women are less likely to have an abortion if they see an ultrasound image of their unborn child.

That is why Family Council is pleased to support S.B. 450.

The Following Senators Voted FOR S.B. 450

  • J. Boyd
  • J. Bryant
  • A. Clark
  • Crowell
  • B. Davis
  • Dees
  • J. Dismang
  • J. Dotson
  • J. English
  • Flippo
  • Gilmore
  • K. Hammer
  • Hester
  • Hickey
  • Hill
  • Irvin
  • B. Johnson
  • M. Johnson
  • B. King
  • M. McKee
  • J. Payton
  • C. Penzo
  • J. Petty
  • Stone
  • G. Stubblefield
  • D. Wallace

The Following Senators Voted Against S.B. 450

  • S. Flowers
  • G. Leding
  • F. Love
  • R. Murdock
  • J. Scott
  • C. Tucker

The Following Senators Voted “Present”

  • Caldwell
  • Rice
  • D. Sullivan

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE

Triple Feature: Lawmakers File a Third Fetal Education Bill

Abortion, , , ,

On Tuesday, lawmakers in Little Rock filed a third measure to help educate public school students about human fetal growth and development.

Below is a brief overview of all three measures.

H.B. 1180 by Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville) and Sen. Clint Penzo (R — Springdale) ensures public schools show students a high-definition ultrasound video that is at least three minutes long as part of sex-education and human growth and development education courses. The bill also ensures students see a video like Live Action’s computer-animated “Meet Baby Olivia” video that teaches about human development from conception to birth.

The Arkansas House of Representatives passed H.B. 1180, but the Arkansas Senate has not.

S.B. 450 by Sen. Breanne Davis (R — Russellville) and Rep. Kendra Moore (R — Lincoln) makes it possible for public school students to see a recording of a high-definition ultrasound video as part of human fetal growth and development education courses. The bill also contains provisions letting students learn important facts about how unborn children develop in the womb.

The Arkansas Senate passed S.B. 450 on Tuesday, and the bill has been sent to the Arkansas House of Representatives for consideration.

H.B. 1946 — which Rep. Mary Bentley (R — Perryville) and Sen. Clint Penzo (R — Springdale) filed on Tuesday — requires public schools to provide human growth and development education in grades 6 – 12 every school year. The bill requires the courses to include a three-minute high-definition ultrasound video and a high-quality, computer animated video depicting the process of fertilization and every stage of fetal development. Under H.B. 1946, this instruction would be included in biology instruction and in courses related to sex-education.

H.B. 1946 is expected to be referred to the House Education Committee for a vote.

It’s good to see lawmakers taking a strong interest in teaching public school students about unborn children.

Ultrasound technology provides what some people call a “window into the womb” that demonstrates that unborn children are living human beings. Good bills like H.B. 1180, S.B. 450, and H.B. 1946 help students understand that.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE