AHAA Weekly Policy Report: March 11, 2026
This week's report tracks 139 bills and regulatory actions across hemp, marijuana, kratom, and tobacco sectors. The hemp section below covers the most consequential developments of the past seven days, including a forced pause on the South Carolina ban bill, Missouri's senate hearing on the marijuana-framework threat, Kentucky's sweeping new hemp proposals, and a kratom scheduling vote in Kansas that the broader alternative wellness industry should be watching closely. The complete report covers marijuana, Farm Bill, and additional alternative wellness legislation.
Hemp Regulatory Developments
South Carolina H 4758: Ban Debate Adjourned Until March 24
Status: Debate Adjourned Until Tuesday, March 24, 2026 (House Floor)
South Carolina's hemp ban bill has been pushed off the House floor until March 24. The bill would prohibit the possession, sale, and distribution of consumable hemp products exceeding 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis, effectively shutting down the state's ingestible and inhalable hemp market. Hemp growers and fiber processors are carved out; the full burden falls on retailers and distributors. Projected enforcement costs approach $2 million annually beginning in FY 2026-27.
The repeated adjournments are a sign of real resistance in the chamber. That resistance needs to be reinforced with direct constituent contact between now and March 24. Business owners in South Carolina should reach out to their House representatives now, before the debate reopens. Personal accounts of economic impact, jobs, and consumer demand are the most effective tool available at this stage.
See Smart Summary of SC H 4758
Missouri HB 2641 and SB 904: Senate Hearing Held, Floor Vote Approaching
MO HB 2641: Public Hearing Held in Senate, March 4, 2026
MO SB 904: Informal Calendar, Senate Bills for Perfection, March 9, 2026
Missouri's most aggressive hemp threat cleared a Senate committee hearing this week. HB 2641, which passed the House and would require all hemp-derived cannabinoid sales to take place inside licensed marijuana dispensaries, is now moving through the Senate. Its companion, SB 904, is on the Informal Calendar for floor consideration, meaning it is positioned for a perfection vote at any point.
Both bills would fold the independent hemp retail market into the state's marijuana regulatory framework entirely. That is not a licensing update. It is a market elimination dressed as regulation. Missouri hemp retailers and distributors need to be contacting their senators directly, this week.
See Smart Summary of MO SB 904
Kentucky HB 895 and HB 896: Sweeping Hemp and Cannabis Framework Introduced
Status: Both Referred to Committee on Committees, March 4, 2026 (House)
Kentucky introduced two companion bills this week that together would establish one of the most comprehensive state-level hemp and cannabis regulatory frameworks in the country. HB 895 creates a new Department of Psychoactive Substances responsible for licensing, testing, production standards, and retail oversight across hemp, hemp-derived cannabinoids, and cannabis. It sets cannabinoid content limits for beverages, restricts license combinations, and establishes a dedicated hemp fund financed by licensing fees to support research and industry promotion. HB 896 declares an emergency and layers in operational standards for transportation, third-party lab accreditation, retail licensing, and direct-shipping rules for hemp-derived products.
Both bills reflect a regulatory model the industry should pay attention to: a structured framework that distinguishes hemp from marijuana, establishes age-21 access standards, and creates a state infrastructure for the industry rather than routing hemp through marijuana channels. Whether these bills advance or not, the framework they propose represents the kind of regulatory alignment AHAA has consistently advocated for.
Illinois HB 5452: Hemp Products Commission Proposal
Status: Assigned to Executive Committee, March 4, 2026 (House)
Illinois HB 5452 would establish a Hemp Products Commission in the state, with a 94% probability of reaching a floor vote and 87% probability of passing the House. No AI summary detail was available in this week's report beyond the bill title and status, but the high passage forecasts indicate strong support in both chambers. Illinois members should monitor this bill as it moves through the Executive Committee.
New Hampshire SB 485: Hemp Licensing Framework Delayed to Interim Study
Status: Referred to Interim Study, March 12, 2026; Vote 4-0 (Senate Committee)
New Hampshire's hemp-derived cannabinoid licensing bill was unanimously referred to interim study this week, effectively pausing it until the next legislative cycle. SB 485 would have established licensing for manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, and retailers of hemp-derived products, with a 5% wholesale tax, face-to-face-only retail requirements, and prohibitions on vending machine and online sales. The unanimous referral to interim study suggests the committee wants more time, not necessarily that the framework is dead. Industry members in New Hampshire should engage with the study process.
Louisiana HB 539: Hemp Sales Expansion at Licensed Bars and Restaurants
Status: First Appeared on Interim Calendar, February 27, 2026 (House)
Louisiana HB 539 would remove existing restrictions that block businesses holding Class A alcohol permits (bars and restaurants licensed for on-premises consumption) from selling consumable hemp products. If enacted, hospitality businesses with Class A permits could sell hemp products alongside alcohol, and new permits could be issued to such businesses going forward. Existing permit holders would be able to renew under the new rules. The bill takes effect upon the governor's signature.
Broader Industry Watch
Kansas SB 497: Kratom Added to Schedule I, Passes Senate 33-5
Status: Final Action, Passed Senate 33-5; Now in House, March 5, 2026
Kansas SB 497 passed the Senate with a strong 33-5 majority, adding kratom to the state's Schedule I controlled substances list. The bill now moves to the House. A 33-5 vote is not a close call, and the bill carries high passage forecasts in both chambers. Kansas kratom retailers and distributors should treat this as a near-certain ban and plan accordingly. The broader alternative wellness industry should take note: the same scheduling and prohibition playbook being used against kratom is the same one being adapted for hemp in other states.
What This Means for the Industry
South Carolina has bought three more weeks. Missouri has not. The hearing on HB 2641 and the positioning of SB 904 on the floor calendar mean the window for direct advocacy in Missouri is closing fast. Kentucky's new framework proposals are worth monitoring as a model for what responsible, industry-supporting regulation can look like when legislators engage with the actual structure of the hemp market rather than defaulting to prohibition.
The Kansas kratom vote is a reminder that these fights are connected. When regulators and legislators decide to eliminate a market, they move quickly and with legislative confidence. The industry's best defense, in every state, is organized, consistent, direct engagement before the votes happen, not after.
Members operating in multiple product categories should review the complete tracking report for comprehensive state-specific updates.
See the Full Weekly Policy Report Here
Take Action
South Carolina: Debate on H 4758 resumes March 24. Contact your House representative now with your business story. Enforcement cost projections and lost sales tax revenue are persuasive to members focused on fiscal impact.
Take action with SCHAA Today
Missouri: SB 904 is approaching a floor vote. HB 2641 is in Senate committee. Contact your senator this week. Frame it as a small business issue: independent hemp retailers are not marijuana dispensaries, and should not be regulated as if they are.
Kentucky: HB 895 and HB 896 are early-stage. If you operate in Kentucky, engage with the Committee on Committees process and make sure your legislators understand how the industry actually works.
Prepared by the American Healthy Alternatives Association.
Tracking hemp policy nationwide to keep our industry informed.
