Signed by Governor Roy Cooper III

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

vote to adopt a conference report that establishes regulations on hemp and other farming industries, including exempting swine farmers public records from public inspection.

Highlights:

• Authorizes an underlying fee owner of land encumbered by any easement acquired by a utility company, on which construction has not been commenced by the utility company for the purpose for which the easement was acquired within 20 years of the date of acquisition, to file a complaint with the Commission for an order requiring the utility company to terminate the easement in exchange for payment by the underlying fee owner of the current fair market value of the easement (Sec. 1aa).

• Allows utility companies that disagree with terminating their easements to request a determination from the Commission as to whether the easement is necessary or advisable for the utility company's long-range needs for the provision of utilities to serve its service area, and whether termination of the easement would be contrary to the interests of the using and consuming public (Sec. 1ad).

• Authorizes the Commission to request that the clerk of their superior court in the county to deploy commissioners to determine the fair market value of the easement if the utility company and fee owner cannot agree on the price of the easement (Sec. 1ac).

• Prohibits fee owners from applying to terminate an easement if their complaint for terminating the easement is denied, for a period of 5 years (Sec. 1af).

• Establishes a right-of-way for left-turning farm equipment, prohibiting vehicle drivers from overtaking farm equipment when it is making a left turn, or signaling that it intends to do so (Sec. 2a).

• Prohibits counties from requiring catering permits for businesses located on bona fide farm property that offer on and off-site catering services within the county (Sec. 5c).

• Prohibits cities from requiring catering permits for businesses located on bona fide farm property that offer on and off-site catering services within the county (Sec. 5d).

• Establishes that the following information is confidential (Sec. 10a):

• Information provided by an agricultural producer or owner of agricultural land concerning the agricultural operation, farming or conservation practices, or the land itself; and

• Geospatial information otherwise maintained by the district about agricultural lands or operations.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass with amendment a bill that establishes regulations on hemp and other farming industries.

Highlights:

• Prohibits individuals from cultivating or handling hemp in this state unless the individual holds a hemp cultivation license issued by the North Carolina Hemp Commission (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the North Carolina Hemp Commission to issue annual criminal background checks including fingerprint documentation, on individuals seeking to attain a hemp cultivation license (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits the sale or growth of non-inebriating smokable hemp within the state until December 2020 (Sec. 1).

• Defines “smokable hemp” as a product that does not exceed the federally defined THC level for hemp in a form that allows THC to be introduced into the human body by inhalation of smoke, including (Sec. 1):

• Hemp buds;

• Hemp flowers;

• Whole or ground raw hemp plant material; or

• Hemp cigars or cigarettes.

• Requires that the individual seeking to attain a hemp cultivation license shall provide to the Commission prior to attaining the license the following, including (Sec. 1):

• The legal description and GPS coordinates to locate the fields or greenhouses to be used for hemp cultivation; and

• Written consent authorizing officials and representatives for the State to enter all premises where hemp is cultivated or stored.

• Prohibits any individual convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance under state or federal law from obtaining a cultivation license for the 10-year period following the date of conviction (Sec. 1).

• Requires individuals seeking to attain a hemp handler license to pay the bonding satisfactory fee of $250,000 to the Commissioner of Agriculture (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that a license is not required to possess, handle, transport, or sell hemp products or hemp extracts (Sec. 1).

• Establishes the North Carolina Hemp Program Fund in the Department of Agriculture and Human Services, which will be used for personnel costs, program administration, testing, and any other costs incurred in administering this act (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass with amendment a bill that establishes regulations on hemp and other farming industries.

Highlights:

• Prohibits individuals from cultivating or handling hemp in this state unless the individual holds a hemp cultivation license issued by the North Carolina Hemp Commission (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the North Carolina Hemp Commission to issue annual criminal background checks including fingerprint documentation, on individuals seeking to attain a hemp cultivation license (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits the sale or growth of non-inebriating smokable hemp within the state until December 2020 (Sec. 1).

• Defines “smokable hemp” as a product that does not exceed the federally defined THC level for hemp in a form that allows THC to be introduced into the human body by inhalation of smoke, including (Sec. 1):

• Hemp buds;

• Hemp flowers;

• Whole or ground raw hemp plant material; or

• Hemp cigars or cigarettes.

• Requires that the individual seeking to attain a hemp cultivation license shall provide to the Commission prior to attaining the license the following, including (Sec. 1):

• The legal description and GPS coordinates to locate the fields or greenhouses to be used for hemp cultivation; and

• Written consent authorizing officials and representatives for the State to enter all premises where hemp is cultivated or stored.

• Prohibits any individual convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance under state or federal law from obtaining a cultivation license for the 10-year period following the date of conviction (Sec. 1).

• Requires individuals seeking to attain a hemp handler license to pay the bonding satisfactory fee of $250,000 to the Commissioner of Agriculture (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that a license is not required to possess, handle, transport, or sell hemp products or hemp extracts (Sec. 1).

• Establishes the North Carolina Hemp Program Fund in the Department of Agriculture and Human Services, which will be used for personnel costs, program administration, testing, and any other costs incurred in administering this act (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text