Creates provisions relating to the regulation of hemp-derived consumable products
HB 696 creates the “Missouri Hemp Consumer Protection Act” and establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for hemp-derived consumable products. The bill defines covered products and related terms, sets a statewide licensing system for manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and certain food service establishments, and assigns administration primarily to the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, with testing oversight by the Department of Health and Senior Services. It also creates the Hemp Business Fund to receive licensing fees and finance administration of the new program.
The bill imposes extensive product standards and consumer protections. It requires age verification and generally limits sales to persons 21 and older, with a narrow exception for certain veterans age 18 and older and for supervised use by a parent or legal guardian. It mandates independent laboratory testing, certificates of analysis, product registration, labeling and QR-code disclosure requirements, potency and contaminant limits, packaging restrictions, and rules for advertising and marketing. The bill also addresses where products may be sold, temporary event permits, school-related administration by nurses under specified conditions, and enforcement tools including inspections, fines, misdemeanor penalties for repeat violations, seizure, and forfeiture.
HB 696 would add 18 new sections to Chapter 195, RSMo, creating a new state regulatory scheme for hemp-derived consumable products and preempting inconsistent treatment under other state laws for compliant products. It would legalize the purchase, possession, manufacture, transport, and distribution of hemp-derived consumable products that meet the bill’s requirements, while making noncompliant products subject to enforcement actions. The bill would also require new licenses, registrations, testing protocols, labeling standards, and retail restrictions, affecting manufacturers, distributors, retailers, food service establishments, laboratories, and consumers of hemp-derived cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, delta-10 THC, CBD, THCA, and HHC.
The bill’s overall tone is regulatory rather than prohibitive: it appears designed to legitimize and structure an existing market while emphasizing consumer safety, youth access restrictions, and product testing. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no direct evidence of debate or partisan division in the available materials. The bill text itself suggests an intent to balance commercial access with public-health safeguards and state oversight.
The most likely points of contention are the scope of legalization, the 21-and-over sales restriction, and the degree of state control over a hemp market that often operates in a gray area. Industry participants may object to licensing, testing, registration, and labeling costs, while public-health advocates may focus on potency limits, marketing restrictions, and youth access. The bill’s exceptions for veterans, school administration by nurses, and sales at school-ground events where alcohol is permitted may also draw scrutiny because they create carve-outs within otherwise strict age and access rules.