SB 33: "Georgia Hemp Farming Act"; total THC concentration of consumable hemp products; provide limits

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Discussed in meetings (9)

The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.

1. House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee, February 3, 2026

   From 0:28:21 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute would mirror federal hemp restrictions taking effect in November 2026 and enable state enforcement. The sponsor cited illnesses linked to delta-8 and other intoxicating products. After confusion over substitute versions, the chair identified the committee’s working version; the sponsor anticipated further changes. Asked about work since last session, the sponsor said the main change was alignment with federal law. The chair said a House panel had held meetings but issued no report. One witness requested postponement, citing federal uncertainty and arguing that existing age limits and testing requirements already addressed safety concerns. A US Hemp Roundtable witness urged rejection, saying restrictions would threaten businesses, jobs and access to therapeutic CBD products while pushing consumers toward illegal sellers. That witness cited a University of Georgia study estimating over $150 million in industry tax revenue in 2024. A Georgia Council for Recovery witness supported THC limits, arguing that high levels cause serious medical harm and public costs exceeding industry revenue. A Georgia Baptist Mission Board witness supported alignment with federal restrictions and tighter limits on intoxicating hemp products, citing public health and safety. A final witness began an analogy criticizing the approach before time expired. No vote occurred; the chair announced another hearing for the following week.

2. House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee, March 17, 2026

   From 0:03:46 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute sought to remove unsafe products and align state rules with federal changes. The sponsor relayed an emergency doctor's report of recurring accidental THC ingestion by children. The chair said the first part would prohibit synthetic cannabinoids while allowing plant-derived products, and the second would address federal changes. One member questioned acting before federal rules were settled; another raised concerns about surrendering state authority. Members also asked about testing delays, seizures and labeling. The Department of Agriculture's policy director said some violations could be identified without testing and described inspections, licensing and problems with mismatched batch-testing records. The chair said labeling requirements would not change. Another member recommended naming the U.S. Department of Agriculture specifically in the federal provisions. The policy director said express authority to obtain product-return records might require added language. Neither suggestion was adopted during the hearing. The Level Mind CBD owner warned that the limits would threaten even nonintoxicating products. A parent witness described a child's hallucinations and urged restrictions. The Georgia Association of Convenience Stores president argued that existing regulation should continue and warned of illegal markets. A Georgians for Responsible Marijuana Policy witness said current safeguards were failing families and supported federal alignment. A Hemp World business owner said synthetic restrictions would damage vape and pre-roll sales and requested further study. The committee took no vote.

3. House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee, March 24, 2026

   From 0:18:23 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said SB 33 would protect consumers from intoxicating cannabinoids lacking safeguards applied to Delta-9. The sponsor’s version would follow federal limits of 0.3% by dry weight and 0.4 milligrams per container, cover vapes above the limit, authorize destruction of noncompliant products and take effect January 1, 2027. The sponsor said federal enforcement was scheduled for November 12, 2026. Members questioned federal timing and state enforcement authority, and reported concerns from businesses and families about lost access to products. The sponsor cited injuries and children requiring intensive care as reasons to act. The chair offered a narrower substitute. A Department of Agriculture representative said it would restrict cannabinoids incapable of occurring naturally in the cannabis plant, add drug penalties and expand seizure authority, while leaving existing Delta-9 limits unchanged. The representative clarified that Delta-8 would not be covered, even when made synthetically, and said federal implementation might be delayed. Asked about enforcement costs, the representative had no estimate and said the department needed more support. The representative also explained existing package labeling and testing requirements for hemp vapes. After a member questioned an undefined term, the committee adopted an amendment defining products containing synthetic cannabinoids and adding related references. The committee then unanimously recommended passage of the substitute as amended.

4. House Rules Committee, March 27, 2026

   From 0:23:28 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the committee-revised version of SB 33 would ban synthetic cannabinoids, give the agriculture commissioner authority to impound illegal products, and add penalties. There were no questions or further action shown.

5. House floor session, March 31, 2026 (legislative day 39, part 3)

   From 0:24:19 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 4126

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the House substitute distinguishes natural hemp products from lab-created synthetic cannabinoids and gives the Department of Agriculture and local law enforcement authority to confiscate prohibited products. The sponsor described synthetic products as a health risk and said the substitute was substantially narrower than the Senate version. One member asked whether retailers could sell existing inventory before penalties applied. The sponsor said a delayed effective date later in the year would give manufacturers and retailers time to clear stock. A second member said the Department of Agriculture had reported that fewer than half of products met existing standards. The sponsor agreed the bill was a first step toward removing the worst products. Another member said the measure targets wholly synthetic products rather than natural hemp, and the sponsor agreed. The House adopted the committee substitute and passed the bill, 151 to 14.

6. House Rules Committee, March 31, 2026

   From 0:28:41 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 3953

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed SB 33 on the supplemental floor calendar without stated opposition. No substantive discussion occurred.

7. Senate floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, part 2)

   From 5:16:38 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended)

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter offered an amendment replacing all hemp provisions in SB 33 with a revised property-tax package based on the proposal that had just failed. The presenter said the revision removed limits on local tax-revenue growth and the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, while retaining mandatory property-value growth limits, local sales-tax options for homeowner relief and school-funding adjustments. The presenter also described applying the first six months of initial sales-tax proceeds to property taxes and carrying the second six months into the following year. One member objected to ending debate on a revised proposal that still used sales taxes to fund homeowner exemptions. Another raised a procedural objection because earlier-numbered amendments had not been considered; the chair said those amendments had not been recognized. The Senate voted 32–21 to end debate, then agreed to the House substitute as amended, 32–21.

8. House floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, PM, part 2)

   From 5:31:08 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub)

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk read SB 33 as amending the Georgia Hemp Farming Act. The presenter urged members to put taxpayers and the public ahead of individual legislators but did not explain the Senate amendment or the bill's substantive provisions. No questions or substantive debate followed. The House agreed to the Senate amendment to the House's replacement version, 97 to 72.

• Read aloud: House floor session, March 25, 2026 (legislative day 37, AM), 0:40:24

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