SACRAMENTO, Sep. 30th,
2006. A bill to legalize cultivation of industrial
hemp was vetoed by Gov. Schwarzenegger.
The bill, AB 1147 by Assemblyman Mark Leno (D SF), would have
authorized farmers to grow hemp on condition they submit it to a licensed lab
for potency testing.
In
his veto message, the Governor objected that the bill would give legitimate growers a "false sense
of security" that hemp was legal under federal law.
The
hemp industry, aware of this problem, had planned to initiate a lawsuit against
the federal government in the event the bill passed.
The
Governor also objected that law enforcement had expressed concerns that AB 1147
could drain resources and impede eradication efforts.
Advocates
had been hopeful that the Governor would sign the bill, given that it was
co-sponsored by a Republican, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (Irvine).
"This
is a case of politics sadly trumping science," said Leno, "There was no
downside to taking this step forward."