Video & Transcript Research : 'intoxicating beverages'

Page 5 of 108
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • It's complex: local control, intoxicating hemp.
  • And so at its core, what it's doing is that it's ensuring that intoxicating cannabinoids are treated
  • consistently, regardless of whether they came from cannabis... ...that intoxicating cannabinoids are
  • beverages. ...beverage control addresses alcohol retailers that are selling mostly hemp beverages, and
  • Intoxicating hemp has directly affected the legal industry. It's bottom line.
Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on State Administration heard several CalVet budget updates first. CalVet reported progress on the Southern California Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon, explaining that DGS is revising the earlier feasibility study to reflect a smaller footprint and lower grading costs, with updated numbers expected by the end of April. Members and public commenters emphasized the project’s importance and asked whether additional budget authority or trailer bill language was needed; CalVet said it may need more spending authority but wanted to return after the revised study is complete. The committee also reviewed the Yountville skilled nursing facility replacement project, where CalVet said construction is nearing completion, a certificate of occupancy was received, and the new 240-bed facility will replace Holderman Hospital while older buildings will be repurposed for lower levels of care. CalVet also defended eliminating about 178 vacant positions at Yountville and West Los Angeles as a fiscal and staffing efficiency measure, saying current care levels can still be met and that retention and hiring efforts are improving. The committee then took up the Department of Cannabis Control’s enforcement and legal affairs proposal. DCC described the size of the illicit cannabis market, said enforcement alone cannot solve the problem, and asked for additional sworn staff, a new Redding-area field office, and more analysts to focus on distribution networks, organized crime, environmental harms, and high-priority public safety cases. Finance supported the proposal as a targeted investment, while the LAO had no additional comment. Members asked about funding impacts and local co-location options, and DCC said the request would be funded from cannabis excise tax revenues and could help shift sales into the legal market. Public testimony from the cannabis industry strongly supported more enforcement against illicit retail and said it would help legal operators compete. DCC also presented its hemp enforcement and regulation proposal tied to AB 8. The department said the law closes loopholes around intoxicating hemp products, strengthens enforcement across agencies, and prepares for hemp to enter the cannabis regulatory framework in 2028. DCC requested staff for a civil enforcement unit, field-testing equipment, lab capacity to detect synthetic cannabinoids, a track-and-trace specialist, and a policy specialist. Members asked about enforcement in informal retail settings and consumer confusion, and DCC said the biggest problems have been smoke shops and online sales. Public commenters from the legal cannabis industry supported the proposal, saying intoxicating hemp has harmed the regulated market and created public safety risks. The Cannabis Control Appeals Panel then requested ongoing funding of $3.4 million to support 12 positions and its quasi-judicial appeals function. The panel said that with provisional licenses largely phased out, more annual licensees now have appeal rights and the workload is beginning to increase, with two cases currently on the docket. The LAO recommended limiting funding to three years and requiring a workload and comparative analysis before making the funding permanent, while Finance supported ongoing funding as consistent with the panel’s permanent statutory role. Members questioned the panel’s compensation and workload, noting that the five-member body is paid at a high statutory rate despite historically meeting only quarterly, though panel staff said the work now includes substantial case preparation and monthly hearings. Finally, the Department of Consumer Affairs introduced two proposals: $2 million ongoing for the Contractors State License Board’s IT needs and $251,000 plus one limited-term position for the Board of Pharmacy to implement Proposition 34-related licensing policy and reduce barriers to licensure.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

State Affairs Apr 7th, 2025 at 03:30 pm

State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • Synthetic THC, THC period in any products and any beverages.
  • So this bill would allow. hemp beverages, hemp infused beverages, but not the edibles and also not the
  • I would also like to state that I just learned today about the beverages and the beverage companies coming
  • We need more than just beverages.
  • hemp with intoxicating products. non-intoxicating amounts of THC, so it's important to reconsider these
Bills: HB 28, SB 3
Summary: The meeting featured significant discussions regarding HB28, where the chair outlined the plans to bring forward a substitute for the bill. The chair emphasized the importance of maintaining order and decorum during the proceedings. Members engaged in deliberations, and a number of public witnesses were invited to testify, thereby enriching the discussion around the bill. This interaction provided valuable insights into public sentiment regarding the issues at hand.
TX

Texas 89th 1st C.S.

Public Health Aug 13th, 2025

Public Health

Transcript Highlights:
  • We're seeing a lot more intoxicated drivers.
  • “Studies are still ongoing as to how the THC beverage, when infused with alcohol, changes the intoxication
  • That's not a technicality; that's high-grade intoxication.
  • So there's just intoxicating—it’s in the category of intoxicating products. Thanks.
  • And then I've separated beverages and then foods, which the vast majority of foods... ...beverages and
Summary: The House Committee on Public Health heard House Bill 5, a proposal to ban THC products outside the Texas Compassionate Use Program while allowing non-intoxicating CBD and CBG products under tighter regulation. Chair Van Deaver gave a lengthy background on the 2018 federal Farm Bill and Texas’s 2019 hemp law, arguing that the lack of guardrails allowed a large, unregulated THC market to develop. HB 5 would impose licensing fees, product registration, testing and inspection requirements, and restrictions intended to keep products away from children. Invited witnesses from law enforcement strongly supported the bill. Steve Dye of the Texas Police Chiefs Association and Brian Hawthorne of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas argued that THC consumables are widely mislabeled, often far more potent than advertised, and linked to youth access, impaired driving, and organized crime. Both said regulation would be ineffective and would amount to legalization, while a ban would be easier for officers to enforce. They also emphasized support for the Texas Compassionate Use Program and said medical THC should remain available. Dr. Peter Stout of the Texas Association of Crime Lab Directors and Alice Amelot of Texas DPS testified as resource witnesses about forensic testing. They said current lab resources are already stretched thin, that quantitative testing for THC and related cannabinoids is expensive and time-consuming, and that a ban would simplify enforcement because labs could focus on presence/absence testing rather than concentration. Amelot said DPS labs are neutral on the bill but explained that mislabeled products and inaccurate certificates of analysis are common. Committee members asked about traffic safety, impairment, youth use, and the costs of enforcement and lab testing; witnesses repeatedly said the bill would reduce complexity for law enforcement but that any approach would still require more resources for labs.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Public Health Aug 13th, 2025

Public Health

Transcript Highlights:
  • Studies are still ongoing as to how the THC beverage, when infused with alcohol, changes the intoxication
  • It doesn't, it's not intoxicating.
  • That's high-grade intoxication.
  • If it's not intoxicating and from everything I've seen, if it's less than 3%, it is not intoxicating.
  • I urge you to ban intoxicating cannabis.
Bills: HB5
MO
Transcript Highlights:
  • The bill before you follows that guideline directly by creating the Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control
  • would or would not affect the beverage industry?
  • would or would not affect the beverage industry?
  • but how do you feel that this amendment would or would not affect the beverage industry?
  • That is not intoxicating hemp, though. Is it not? We are trying to redefine... Thank you.
Keywords: 959, house, all
MO
Transcript Highlights:
  • The bill before you follows that guideline directly by creating the Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control
  • would or would not affect the beverage industry?"
  • So is it your position that under this amendment currently, beverage..." but how do you feel that this
  • amendment would or would not affect the beverage industry?
  • That is not intoxicating hemp, though. Is it not? We are trying to redefine... Thank you.
Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the House Journal by roll call vote, 126-0. Members then offered several points of personal privilege and introductions, including recognition of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, a tribute and moment of silence for the late Reverend Jesse Jackson, and greetings to various visiting groups such as manufacturers, FFA students, university graduate students, and the Lewis and Clark Fife and Drum Corps for an America 250 event. The chamber then moved through first reading of several bills and took up multiple measures for perfection and printing. House Bill 2596, dealing with multiple employer self-insured health plans for small businesses, received supportive testimony from members who said it would help small employers recruit and retain workers and modernize outdated law; it was adopted and ordered perfected and printed. House Bill 1644, establishing a franchise-specific joint employer standard, drew extensive debate over liability, franchisor control, and whether it would protect small franchise businesses without limiting legitimate claims; it was also adopted and ordered perfected and printed. House Bill 2423, updating consumer credit licensing fees for the fee-funded Division of Finance, was presented as a way to keep the agency self-funded and maintain consumer protection staffing, and it too was ordered perfected and printed. The House also considered House Bill 2641, which would regulate intoxicating hemp products and align state law with federal changes set to take effect on November 12, 2026. The bill’s sponsor said it was intended to protect children, provide clarity, and create a coordinated enforcement framework, while opponents argued it was unconstitutional because it would effectively reclassify hemp products under the marijuana framework in Article 14 of the Missouri Constitution and could harm lawful hemp businesses. An amendment and a technical amendment were adopted, and the bill was then adopted and perfected and printed as amended. The House later announced committee meetings and other notices before voting to recess until 2 p.m.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • It's complex: local control, intoxicating hemp.
  • It's complex, local control, intoxicating hemp.
  • The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control addresses alcohol retailers that are selling mostly hemp
  • beverages.
  • Intoxicating hemp has directly affected the legal industry's bottom line.
Keywords: 988, house, all
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am

Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Transcript Highlights:
  • I also serve as administrator to the beverage alcohol training and certification program that many of
  • It makes a clear statement: illegal sales of alcohol beverages is not tolerated in Massachusetts, and
  • They are not necessarily the ones who are participating in beverage alcohol training.
  • buying alcohol beverages.
  • I don't like when any store is selling alcohol to minors or to people who are intoxicated.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure opened its first hearing of the session with remarks from Chair Chan and Senate Co-Chair Pavel Payano, who emphasized consumer affordability and professional licensure reform. The chairs also reviewed public testimony rules, noting the hearing was recorded, testimony would be public, and speakers should avoid including sensitive personal information. The committee then heard testimony on several bills carried over from prior sessions and new proposals, with each witness generally speaking in support of the measure they addressed. On self-storage, Joe Doherty of the Self Storage Association supported House Bill 340 and Senate Bill 236, saying the bills would clarify abandonment procedures, allow electronic delivery and signatures for rental agreements, and address situations where a renter fails to return a signed contract after a facility sale, while preserving existing consumer protections. On housing and fair housing education, Nicholas Pelletier and counsel Justin Davidson of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors supported House Bill 343 and Senate Bill 232, which would require fair housing education for real estate licensees; they said fair housing training is already part of MAR’s programs but is not required for all licensees, and Pelletier described a personal example of discriminatory treatment in a rental application. Senators asked whether other states have similar requirements and requested follow-up information. The committee also heard strong support for House Bill 348 and Senate Bill 220 on licensure of applied behavior analysts from Dr. Pauli Gidej of MABA and Dr. Charlie Newfield of Beacon ABA Services. They argued that a dedicated board would improve oversight, speed licensing, and help reduce delays that affect access to autism services, noting the growing number of practitioners and the strain on families waiting for care. Later, Robert Mellion of the Massachusetts Package Stores Association testified for House Bill 390, which would expand alcohol license suspension penalties to all business activity for certain retailers; members questioned the impact on grocery and big-box stores, the difference between suspending alcohol sales versus closing an entire store, and whether fines in lieu of suspension would be sufficient. The committee also heard testimony in favor of House Bill 407 and Senate Bill 277 to license veterinary technicians, with witnesses saying standardized education and licensure would improve animal safety, clarify scope of practice, and better distinguish technicians from assistants. Finally, Craig Orlin of Honda supported House Bill 474 and Senate Bill 291, which would use RMV contacts to notify drivers of open safety recalls and require recall completion as part of registration renewal; he said the bills could improve recall completion rates and address the large number of unrepaired vehicles on the road. At the end of the hearing, the chair noted several bills that did not receive testimony that day, invited written submissions by email, and announced the committee would reconvene in about two weeks. Representative McKenna moved to adjourn, Representative Keefe seconded, and the committee voted to close the hearing.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • It also adds language that provides the Texas Beverage Commission (TBC) with the flexibility for rule-making
  • Is this applied to the mixed beverage tax or is this franchise tax? The excise tax.
  • House Bill 4449 relates to the sale of alcoholic beverages in areas annexed by certain municipalities
VT

Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Session - 2026-05-07 - 11:00AM

Vermont Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • But any amount of intoxication affects judgment.
  • But any amount of intoxication affects judgment.
  • But any amount of intoxication intoxication intoxication affects<00:41:43.599><c> judgment.
  • </c> an act relating to alcoholic beverages. an act relating to alcoholic beverages.
  • </c> strong affinity for the craft beverage strong affinity for the craft beverage industry<01:09:29.839
Keywords: 927, senate, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection - 04/01/25

Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:
  • more than 200 hemp beverage brands and ancillary businesses in the hemp beverage industry throughout
  • more than 200 hemp beverage brands and ancillary businesses in the hemp beverage industry throughout
  • My answer is always Minnesota. includes more than 200 hemp beverage includes more than 200 hemp beverage
  • </c><00:07:22.039><c> regulatory</c> national hemp beverage regulatory national hemp beverage regulatory
  • </c> sell the low potency hemp beverages sell the low potency hemp beverages within<00:34:43.119><c>
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> of uh for cannabis infused beverages. of uh for cannabis infused beverages.
  • Now, I guess in the last session we had the cannabis infused beverages.
  • We also um cannabis infused beverages.
  • If we just do, okay, now cannabis infused beverages are here and then go to do it.
  • </c><00:26:00.480><c> from</c> cannabis infused beverages from cannabis infused beverages from legislators
Keywords: 958, all
Summary: The committee first approved the June 18 meeting amendments, then heard an update from Representative Emily Callaway on the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. She reported no major budget or regulatory concerns, but noted hiring challenges, especially for investigators, and said the board is pursuing a scholarship program using cash reserves and penalty payments. She also said the board has about 20,000 licenses, handled 134 cases in 2024, and had an open-investigation count that stayed roughly flat. The board said initial licenses take about 5 to 7 business days and endorsements about 10 business days, with one citizen-at-large vacancy on the 11-member board. Callaway and board staff also discussed emerging issues such as AI, digital plan submissions, and the use of drones and LiDAR in surveying education. They said Kentucky’s surveying exam pass rates are well above national averages and that universities such as East Tennessee State, Cincinnati State, Bellarmine, Spalding, and Eastern Kentucky are helping train students for the field. The committee then took up Callaway’s occupational licensing bill aimed at removing barriers for people with criminal records. The proposal would let applicants seek an upfront determination of whether a record would disqualify them, require boards to consider specified materials and give written reasons if they deny eligibility, and bind the board’s decision absent new or undisclosed offenses. Supporters said the goal is to help roughly 30,000 people reenter the workforce and avoid wasted time and money on training that could later be disqualified. The committee next heard from Representatives Fleming and Willner on a psychology licensing bill, a reintroduction of prior legislation. They said the measure is intended to address mental health workforce shortages by adding two members to the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology, setting a more predictable timeline for licensure examinations, and requiring annual reporting on processing times for licenses and complaints. They said the bill is meant to speed entry into the profession as new psychology programs expand in Kentucky. No objections were raised. Finally, the Alcoholic Beverage Control commissioner and general counsel presented two administrative amendments tied to SB 202 to allow direct-shipping forms for cannabis-infused beverages, and the committee approved both regulations by voice vote. The committee then held a broader discussion about whether ABC should be expanded by statute to regulate additional intoxicating substances and emerging products. ABC officials said the agency already handles alcohol, tobacco, vape licensing, and some related enforcement, but any broader authority would require legislative action and likely more officers and funding. Members discussed the need to stay ahead of new products, possibly through an emerging-industries framework, while also protecting businesses and consumers.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
  • THC is intoxicating. CBD is not.
  • </c> shelf is not intoxicating. shelf is not intoxicating.
  • And it's not even intoxicating.
  • And it's not even intoxicating.
  • milligrams in a beverage.
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

February 12, 2025 - 01:00 PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • The beverage law defines an alcoholic beverage as a distilled spirit and includes all beverages containing
  • According to the beverage law, alcoholic beverages and liquors are defined, According to the beverage
  • We would like to see it treated as other intoxicating beverages that we all distribute because the system
  • We call them intoxicating beverages, too. Some people call them alternative beverages.
  • So it probably has to fall under intoxicating beverages or something like that.
Summary: The committee met to hear an overview of Florida’s alcoholic beverage regulatory structure and a panel discussion on the state’s three-tier system. Emily Oglesby of DBPR explained the department’s licensing and enforcement roles, described common license types, and outlined the three tiers—manufacturers, distributors, and retailers—along with tied-house restrictions and several statutory exceptions for certified Florida farm wineries, breweries with tap rooms, brew pubs, and craft distilleries. Members asked about licensing fees, the number and classification of distributors and craft producers, and how the exceptions fit within the broader system. Panelists from craft breweries, craft distilleries, wholesalers, and retailers then discussed how the system affects market access, pricing, and product selection. Craft producers argued that Florida’s rules make it difficult for small brands to reach retailers because they must rely on distributors that often prioritize larger, higher-volume products; they said limited self-distribution or other reforms could help small businesses grow without eliminating wholesalers. Wholesalers and retailers defended the three-tier model as a public-safety and anti-monopoly framework, emphasizing investment in warehousing, sales, compliance, and product vetting, while noting that they already carry some craft products and make selections based on demand, quality, and shelf space. Members also explored related issues such as direct-to-consumer sales, the role of excise-tax audits and inspections, and the emerging market for hemp-derived THC beverages and other alternative drinks. DBPR and industry witnesses said alcohol and hemp products are regulated differently, and several speakers urged the Legislature to consider clearer rules for these products. The meeting ended with no bill vote or formal action; the chair thanked the panel and adjourned after Representative Yeager moved to rise, with no objection.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • So that's the beverage component. So the weed and the beverage component.
  • and accurately determining intoxication when we stop them.
  • I have each one of these up here: hash oil, THC edibles, and beverages.
  • We can put the intoxicating hemp genie back in the bottle.
  • It's the distillate in the beverage. Do any of y'all sell beverages? We do, yes.
Bills: SB5, SB11, SB12, SB 5, SB 11, SB 12
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Session (Full Formal with Calendar) Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am

Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Driscoll, banning unregulated intoxicating hemp products in study of regulatory frameworks.
  • stand to offer an amendment that I hope strengthens this bill and helps us navigate the issue of intoxicating
  • hemp beverages and other products. the issue of intoxicating hemp beverages and other products in the
  • A 2022 study from Johns Hopkins University found that roughly 76% of hemp-derived beverages were mislabeled
  • of Public Health, Department of Agricultural Resources, Department of Revenue, and the Alcoholic Beverage
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Senate took up floor debate on H. 4206, An Act Modernizing the Commonwealth Cannabis Laws, with repeated amendment votes focused largely on cannabis regulation, transparency, youth access, and the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). Early motions included suspending Senate Rule 38A to continue past 8 p.m., which passed by standing vote. Most amendments offered by Senator Tarr were rejected, including proposals on possession limits, CCC executive director appointment and removal, legislative control over medical marijuana licenses, a multi-agency task force on illegal cannabis, annual CCC hearings and reports, an ombudsman, a legislative liaison, a youth-cannabis study commission, supply-and-demand study, and increased penalties for distribution to minors. Amendment 33 by Senator Driscoll, directing the CCC and other agencies to study regulation of intoxicating hemp products, was adopted. Amendment 7 by Senator Brownsberger, allowing cannabis discount and loyalty advertising to existing customers and opt-in email lists, was also adopted. Amendment 29 by Senator O’Connor, allowing the CCC to temporarily suspend or revoke medical marijuana licenses during investigations of illegal sales, was adopted as well. Several other amendments were debated and defeated, including Senator O’Connor’s billboard advertising restriction for cannabis and Senator Tarr’s proposal to increase penalties for selling marijuana to minors. The chamber then took up the bill’s corrective and Ways and Means amendment, adopted both, ordered the bill to a third reading, and then passed it to be engrossed by roll call vote. The final vote showed the bill advancing despite some opposition, including from several senators who voted no on engrossment. After the cannabis bill, the Senate considered and passed two land-related bills by roll call: H. 4772, authorizing easements in Lowell, and H. 4362, authorizing release of agricultural preservation restrictions in Westford. The Senate also adopted a motion that when it adjourned, it would do so in memory of Stephen P. Foutou of Newton, followed by a moment of silence. The chamber then adopted an adjournment order and recessed until the next meeting.
HI

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

JHA Public Hearing - Thu Feb 13, 2025 @ 2:00 PM HST

Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • If not, let's move on to the next measure: House Bill 108, relating to intoxicating liquor.
  • If not, let's move on to the next measure: House Bill 108, relating to intoxicating liquor.
  • If not, let's move on to the next measure: House Bill 108, relating to intoxicating liquor.
  • House Bill 108 is relating to intoxicating liquor.
  • </c> growth of the craft alcohol beverage growth of the craft alcohol beverage industry<00:27:47.760>
Keywords: 910, house, all
Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. HB 655 would limit collection of unpaid motor vehicle taxes, fees, and penalties to the most recent five consecutive years of delinquency. The Department of Transportation opposed the bill, saying it could significantly affect state and county revenues and that the fiscal impact was hard to estimate. The Tax Foundation noted the bill would shorten the existing collection period, while an individual testifier supported it as a narrow measure that would help owners of old or inherited vehicles. In questioning, the department said it could not quantify the cost but suggested it would prefer case-by-case flexibility rather than a fixed five-year limit. HB 697 would authorize Department of Transportation and Department of Law Enforcement personnel to inspect and certify evidence from automated speed enforcement systems and would appropriate funds for the program. The Department of Transportation supported the measure, citing the workload created by the red-light camera pilot and the need to assist police and prosecutors. The Department of the Attorney General supported the concept but recommended technical amendments so the verification language would apply consistently across the chapter and allow the appropriate reviewing entity to act. The committee also heard support from the AAHU Metropolitan Planning Organization and opposition from three individuals. HB 711 would require defendants convicted of causing the death of a parent or legal guardian of a minor child while driving under the influence to provide financial support to the surviving child. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing that criminal restitution must be tied to verified losses and that this type of long-term support is better handled in civil court, where trusts, conservatorships, and insurance claims can be addressed. The Department of Transportation supported the bill as a deterrent to impaired driving, and police, prosecutors, and an injury prevention group also submitted support. Members questioned whether the measure was better suited to civil litigation, and the public defender agreed that the civil system was the proper venue. HB 108 would allow direct shipment of beer and distilled spirits by certain licensees and require county liquor commissions to adopt rules. The Attorney General raised constitutional concerns, saying the bill’s different treatment of out-of-state manufacturers could violate the dormant Commerce Clause and recommended revisions. Brewers and distillers testified in support, saying the bill would put beer and spirits on a similar footing with wine direct shipment, help small producers reach consumers, and support the local economy without increasing underage access. They also said the bill should be amended to address grandfathering language. No final votes or committee actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.