2019 November PUBLISHED BY LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION Volume 32, No. 8 LEGISLATURE.KY.GOV/LEGISLATION/PAGES/DEFAULT.ASPX Hemp, Panel updated on battle broadband against fatal overdoses concerns by Jim Hannah LRC Public Information brought before FRANKFORT – Drug overdose deaths state panel in Kentucky decreased 15 percent last year. That’s 233 fewer people dying. by Rebecca Hanchett LRC Public Information “We were very pleased to see 233 families that did not have to go through the pain of losing a loved one to a prevent- FRANKFORT—Kentucky Farm Bureau able death,” Office of Drug Control Policy President Mark Haney said his organization’s Executive Director Van Ingram said while advice for Kentucky’s growing number of hemp testifying during the Nov. 18 meeting of the producers is “be careful.” Interim Joint Committee on Health, Welfare Haney told the Interim Joint Committee and Family Services. “We are certainly not on Agriculture on Nov. 19 that farmers are being encouraged to enter the growing hemp declaring victory. We are not celebrating, but Interim Joint Committee on Health, Welfare, and Family we do feel confident that we are moving in Services Co-Chair Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor industry, but with minimal risk. Kentucky is the right direction.” Mill, comments during the committee’s meeting. finishing its first five years of modern hemp He was among a group that spoke about production which began in 2014 under the the results of numerous policy initiatives state’s Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program. in Kentucky to reduce the number of drug The research pilot program is ending this dosage units. year, with the state’s Hemp Licensing Program overdose deaths. Last year’s decrease fol- Dr. Doug Oyler of University of Ken- lowed years of steady increases in the death entering a new stage of commercial production tucky HealthCare testified that the initiative in 2020. toll, driven mostly by a rise in opioid abuse, had reduced opioid prescriptions by 1,300 heroin and fentanyl. “We tell all the producers, and have been annually just within that health care system. saying all along, be careful. Go slow. Don’t risk Ingram said the 15 percent decrease was “I love hearing that some ... of the a bright spot because the nation as a whole any more than you can afford to put at risk,” legislative actions we have taken to really said Haney. The caution comes as many farm- saw a decrease of just under 5 percent. move this conversation forward are making a He said some of the policy initiatives ers, he said, look to hemp as a replacement for difference,” said Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, once-reliable sources of income—like tobac- include curbing the number of controlled R-Taylor Mill, co-chair of the committee, and substances prescribed by doctors. From 2015 co—amid today’s agriculture market disrup- former director of the Northern Kentucky tions and downturns. to 2018, the number of opioid analgesics Office of Drug Control Policy. dispensed in Kentucky fell by a little over Making hemp as profitable as tobacco once 800,000. That’s equivalent to 64 million fewer Continued on page 3 was to Kentucky farmers, if possible, will take Continued on page 2 THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1 Kentucky changes route to REAL ID compliance by Jim Hannah Co-chair Sen. Ernie Harris, R-Prospect, said The transportation cabinet is currently only LRC Public Information upon hearing of the change. “We are just trying issuing REAL IDs at its headquarters in Frank- to play catch-up with what the feds want us to lin County. It is accepting applications from FRANKFORT – A change in how Ken- do in a limited timeframe.” both Franklin County residents and neighbor- tucky plans to comply with the federal REAL Legislation passed in 2017 to comply with ing Anderson County residents. Henderson said ID Act will require additional legislation during the federal law envisioned each of Kentucky's it would soon start accepting applications from the upcoming Regular Session of the Kentucky 120 circuit court clerks issuing the new REAL nearby Scott County. General Assembly. IDs, but Harris said unforeseen workloads Henderson said the 12 regional offices That’s what Department of Vehicle Reg- stymied that plan. Circuit court clerks have tra- would be located in Paducah, Madisonville, ulation Commissioner Matt Henderson told ditionally issued driver's licenses in Kentucky. Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Louisville, Lex- members of the Interim Joint Committee on Henderson said the new plan is to set up ington, Florence, Somerset, Manchester, Jack- Transportation during their Nov. 18 meeting, 12 regional offices to issue REAL IDs before the son, Prestonsburg and Morehead. He said state the group’s last scheduled gathering before the October 2020 deadline. That’s when Kentucky’s officials are looking to locate them in existing opening of session on Jan. 7. traditional driver’s licenses will no longer be state buildings such as transportation cabinet “It is not a topic without strong opin- accepted for commercial air travel or to enter field offices. Henderson said the hope is to have ions on both sides, but I would like to remind certain federal facilities like military bases and everyone this is a federal mandate,” committee the White House. Continued on page 3 Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture Co-Chair Agriculture, Rep. Richard Heath, R-Mayfield, fields from page 1 questions during the committee’s Nov. 18 meeting in Frankfort. time, said Haney. “It would be wonderful if we could do that,” he said. “So we’re telling folks, ‘help us build the industry and don’t just try to swing for a home run.’” Haney said the Kentucky Farm Bureau has formed a hemp advisory committee to work on issues that could help farmers build the indus- same stuff.” you can’t even download the programming … try moving forward. That work, he said, could Concerns about cash flow to hemp produc- it’s pretty sad. And it’s important to our mem- come in handy in any future legislative discus- ers also voiced by Graviss were shared earlier in bers more now than it has ever been before,” sions concerning the farmer’s role in the hemp the meeting with Governor’s Office of Agricul- said Haney, adding that his organization will industry. Haney said he hopes hemp processors tural Policy Executive Director Warren Beeler, likely approach the Kentucky General Assembly will take a similar approach regarding their role who said farmers have had high hopes for hemp for help on the matter in the future. in the industry. amid uncertainty in other agricultural markets. Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, an attorney “Most of the questions about hemp that Now farmers are finding that hemp production and cattle farmer, said internet connectivity is I’ve heard were not about production of hemp. brings its own uncertainty, he told lawmakers. important to him and his constituents, includ- It was about the processing of hemp and how “We don’t know exactly where we’re going ing a number of rural Kentuckians with limited we transport it, how we get paid for it, (about) to end up,” said Beeler. “But hemp has a chance internet access. West said that while full imple- the systems from the farm gate through the rest to help us. It has a chance to be maybe that mentation the KentuckyWired project—which of the pipeline,” said Haney. tobacco that we thought we’d never have a re- is intended to provide gigabit-speed access Rep. Joe Graviss, D-Versailles, asked Haney placement for.” statewide—is expected within the next year or if the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s hemp advisory One of the most critical issues facing many so, he wonders what support there is from the committee could look into whether Kentucky Kentucky farmers, said Haney, is the need for private sector for improved internet speed. farmers are being fairly compensated for their high-speed broadband. While most Kentucki- “They have to address these issues to get crop. He also encouraged a standard means to ans have internet access, Haney said rural areas more service out to our farmers and rural areas,” test hemp products, saying he would like the remain that don’t have the connection speed West said. organization to look into “standardization in necessary to use high-tech apps and programs Haney said the Farm Bureau is communi- testing” of hemp products on store shelves to now commonplace in modern agriculture. cating with the private sector and is “hoping to make sure “what is on the shelf at a gas station “If you can’t operate the device that you’re put together some stakeholders that will contin- or a pharmacy is actually going to contain the working with because the speed is so low that ue to work on this in the near future.” 2 2019 Interim LEGISLATIVE RECORD Rep. Chris Harris, D-Forest Hills, REAL ID, comments on from page 2 transportation issues facing the state at the Nov. 18 Interim all 12 operating by early next year. Joint Committee Henderson said would like to have about on Transportation 28 regional offices but knew that wasn’t feasi- meeting. ble before the federally imposed deadline. He added that a decision on how many offices to open might be left to the new administration. (Kentucky’s governor-elect will be sworn into office on Dec. 10.) Sen. Albert Robinson, R-London, ex- pressed concern that the final plan didn’t include a regional office in Laurel County. “I understood that was the original intention,” Robinson said. Sen.