PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
Amend the bill in section 1 by striking out all of subsection 2 (page 1, lines 34 to 39 and page 2, lines 1 to 3 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
 
‘2. Growing permitted.   Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person may plant, grow, harvest, possess, process, sell and buy industrial hemp if that person holds a license issued pursuant to subsection 4. A person licensed pursuant to subsection 4 may plant, grow and harvest only hemp that is grown from seeds acquired from a certified seed source, grown from a clone that is produced from seeds acquired from a certified seed source or propagated from tissue cultures that are removed from live plants grown from seeds acquired from a certified seed source. A person licensed pursuant to subsection 4 may acquire hemp seeds directly from a certified seed source or from a hemp seed distributor licensed in this State distributing hemp seeds pursuant to subsection 2-A.’
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 6 in the 4th line (page 2, line 7 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: "indoors" the following: 'for the purpose of certified seed production by a person who is growing hemp for an academic research program conducted through a postsecondary education institution'
 
SUMMARY
This amendment is the minority report of the committee. It clarifies that a person licensed to grow industrial hemp may grow hemp from a clone that is produced from seeds acquired from a certified seed source or hemp propagated from tissue cultures that are removed from live plants grown from seeds from a certified seed source.
It also directs the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to adopt rules to provide for industrial hemp grown indoors for the purpose of certified seed production by a licensed person who is growing hemp for an academic research program conducted through a postsecondary education institution.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)