PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - The Latest on a push to override Gov. Kristi Noem’s veto of a bill to legalize industrial hemp (all times local):
2:40 p.m.
An attempt to override South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s veto of a hemp legalization bill has failed in the Legislature.
The 20-13 Senate vote Tuesday was short of the two-thirds needed to overcome Noem’s veto. It came after the House easily voted to override Noem earlier in the day.
Senate Democratic leader Troy Heinert, a supporter, says the bill was right for South Dakota’s producers and residents who want to use, grow and manufacture the product.
Noem said Monday that “normalizing” hemp is part of a bigger strategy to make legal marijuana inevitable. She also said legalizing hemp would make law enforcement’s job tougher.
The National Conference of State Legislatures says at least 41 states have enacted hemp growing and production programs.
The 2018 federal farm bill legalized cultivation of industrial hemp nationally.
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1:20 p.m.
South Dakota’s House has voted to override Republican Gov. Kristi Noem’s veto of a bill to legalize industrial hemp production in the state.
Representatives voted 55-11 Tuesday to override Noem, teeing up a showdown in the Senate. The push could face trouble in the Senate, which didn’t pass the bill with the two-thirds support that would be needed for an override.
The main sponsor, Democratic Rep. Oren Lesmeister, asked representatives again to stand behind the bill.
Noem said in her Monday veto message that “normalizing” hemp was part of a bigger strategy to make marijuana legalization inevitable. She says the bill would make law enforcement’s job more difficult.
The National Conference of State Legislatures says at least 41 states have enacted hemp growing and production programs.
The 2018 federal farm bill legalized cultivation of industrial hemp nationally. Supporters say planting hemp wouldn’t even happen until 2020 under the South Dakota proposal.
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9:53 a.m.
The sponsor of a bill to legalize industrial hemp production in South Dakota says supporters will try to overcome Republican Gov. Kristi Noem’s veto of the measure.
Democratic Rep. Oren Lesmeister says the override attempt would come Tuesday, a day after Noem rejected the measure. Lesmeister says the veto wasn’t surprising, but that some of Noem’s comments were.
Noem said in her veto message that “normalizing” hemp was part of a bigger strategy to make marijuana legalization inevitable. She says the bill would make law enforcement’s job more difficult.
A successful veto override appears unlikely. The bill fell short of passing through the Senate with the two-thirds support that would be needed.
The National Conference of State Legislatures says at least 41 states have enacted hemp growing and production programs.
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