[ Back ] [ Bottom ]
91_SR0049enr
91SR0049 Enrolled
1 STATE OF ILLINOIS
2 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
3 SENATE
4 Senate Resolution No. 49
5 Offered by Senators Bowles and Sieben
6 WHEREAS, Industrial hemp is a valuable product in the
7 commercial marketplace, creating jobs and opening up new
8 markets and fields for employment and revenue; and
9 WHEREAS, Several states have begun the process of
10 enacting legislation that would legalize industrial hemp
11 production and sales in those states; and
12 WHEREAS, Hawaii, Vermont, Colorado, Minnesota, North
13 Dakota, New Mexico, Virginia, Montana, and Missouri have all
14 introduced legislation regarding industrial hemp in their
15 1999 legislatures; and
16 WHEREAS, An investigation into the merits and values of
17 industrial hemp is needed to consider whether the State of
18 Illinois should consider passing legislation to implement the
19 production of industrial hemp; and
20 WHEREAS, An investigative task force would be able to
21 take the time and facilitate the necessary research to
22 examine the hemp issue; therefore, be it
23 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIRST GENERAL
24 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is created the
25 Industrial Hemp Investigative and Advisory Task Force
26 consisting of the Director of Agriculture or his or her
27 designee, who shall be chairperson, and 12 additional
28 members, 6 each, selected by the President of the Senate and
29 the Minority Leader of the Senate, representing expertise in
30 the fields of plant science, food processing science, law
31 enforcement, herbology, or manufacturing; members of the
32 Task Force shall serve without compensation but shall be
91SR0049 Enrolled -2-
1 reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from
2 funds appropriated for that purpose; and be it further
3 RESOLVED, The Task Force shall study the economic
4 viability of industrial hemp production in this State, shall
5 identify any legal or other obstacles to industrial hemp
6 production, shall make any recommendations it deems
7 appropriate, and shall report its findings and
8 recommendations to the Illinois Senate by January 1, 2000;
9 and upon reporting to the Senate, the Task Force shall be
10 dissolved; and be it further
11 RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet initially at the
12 call of the chairperson and shall hold public hearings; and
13 be it further
14 RESOLVED, That the University of Illinois College of ACES
15 (Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences) is
16 requested to work with the Task Force and cooperate in
17 undertaking the study; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
19 delivered to the President of the University of Illinois and
20 the Illinois Director of Agriculture.
21 Adopted by the Senate, March 23, 1999.
22 _______________________
23 President of the Senate
24 _______________________
25 Secretary of the Senate
[ Top ]