Photos by Jay Edwards (Me)

At the start of this semester, we voted on dates to go to the capitol as a class. Well, I voted for a Tuesday or Thursday, but the class after decided to select two Mondays. I did not particularly want to skip class on Monday, and I did NOT want to figure out the capitol on my own. Thus, the student led Capitol trip came to be.

I woke up early on Tuesday the 24th, anticipating some horrible traffic. I was right to do so, as I ended up being delayed by around 40 minutes. By the time I got there, my peers had already grouped up in the basement of the capitol. We then met up with Dr. Pincock and made our way to our first committee meeting.

The House committee meeting for agriculture and consumer affairs began around 11 o’clock. The committee was discussing SB33, the “Georgia Hemp Farming Act”. Senator Kirkpatrick (Republican 32nd) began by presenting the bill, which would limit the total THC concentration of hemp products. Congressional officials debated over whether or not the bill was the best way to ensure state compliance with developing federal statutes. As Representative Reese (Democrat, 140^th) pointed out, by passing this bill before a final decision is given regarding the federal level statutes on THC, congressional officials may have to spend time later on revising and clarifying these details.  Senator Kirkpatrick, a sponsor of the bill, confirmed that the bill would be in compliance with federal limitations on THC, but also clarified that the language still had to be revised around THC vapes, which is another issue that SB33 covers.

The conversation shifted to the Hemp farmers in Georgia. As Representative Stinson (Democrat 150th) pointed out, the regulations on THC have a real potential to effect the livelihoods of Georgian Hemp farmers. This was addressed as Senator Kirkpatrick clarified that the bill would ban only synthetic cannabinoids, which are derivatives of the Hemp plant that can only be produced in a lab.

After some further conversation on wording, the bill was passed unanimously.

Following my trip to the capitol, I was discussing THC bans with my step father, who is a police officer. It was interesting to discuss the legislation as someone who was there to see it pass. It really made me realize how the conversations that we were watching unfold in the capitol come back to effect Georgians day to day.