Hemp regulation bill snuffed out

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The Legislature will not pass a regulatory framework for hemp this Legislative Session.

That’s according to Rep. Michelle Salzman, who headed up a legislative work group on the issue. She said the House and Senate cannot bring separately crafted bills together before a Friday deadline to pass policy bills.

“We are shifting gears,” the Pensacola Republican told Florida Politics. “We will not be focused on this legislation as we wrap up the 2025 Session.”

Salzman was spearheading two bills — one on policy (HB 7027) and one on taxation (HB 7029) — while the Senate more than a month ago passed its own single piece of legislation (SB 438). Both chambers sought to address the growing number of unregulated consumable products infused with THC at levels rivaling, and sometimes exceeding, the amounts found in medical marijuana.

Sen. Colleen Burton, a Lakeland Republican who sponsored the Senate bill, told Florida Politics on Tuesday she remained hopeful on chambers negotiating a deal, but that there remained “stylistic differences” between the House and Senate.

Some significant differences included a ban on synthetic hemp that appeared in the Senate bill but not the House. But there were other points of conflict, including restrictions on outside advertising in the Senate bill and differing methods for setting THC caps on products.

Salzman said the disagreements ultimately could not be addressed in the remaining days of the Legislative Session.

“While the House made significant progress in crafting thoughtful legislation to bring greater safety and structure to Florida’s largely unregulated hemp industry, we were ultimately unable to align with the Senate version in the final days of Session,” she said.

“Our chamber remains focused on critical issues affecting every Floridian: balancing the budget, addressing the insurance and housing crises, and ensuring condo safety. That said, our commitment to responsible hemp regulation is unwavering. We look forward to continuing this work in future Sessions to protect consumers and provide a clear path forward for the responsible players in this growing industry.”

Last year, the Legislature did pass regulations on hemp, but Gov. Ron DeSantis ultimately vetoed the legislation amid concerns about how it would impact retailers and small businesses in the hemp industry.