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Bill Summary · HB 532

Summary of HB 532 (2026RS) – Kentucky Medicinal Hemp Products Act

Main purpose and intent

  • Establishes a regulatory framework for medicinal hemp products in Kentucky, including licensing, quality standards, testing, labeling, and marketing.
  • Declares an emergency to facilitate rapid development of Kentucky’s medicinal hemp sector, enabling growers, processors, and marketers to participate promptly in any federal pathways or market opportunities.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definitions and scope (Section 1):

    • Refines terms related to medicinal hemp, including batch, batch number, processing, handling, hemp and hemp products, medical grade, remediation, and natural agricultural variability.
    • Distinguishes medicinal hemp products from medicinal cannabis and sets delta-9-THC limits at 0.3% on a dry-weight basis for hemp-derived products.
    • Defines “medical grade” as a market-based quality designation for enhanced standards.

  • Batch testing and disclosure (Section 2):

    • Each batch of medicinal hemp product must receive a batch number and be tested independently for:
    • Cannabinoid profile and THC limits
    • Pesticides, microbial contaminants, residual solvents, mycotoxins
    • Labs testing the batch must be ISO/IEC 17025 accredited and not financially tied to the product’s producer.
    • Public access to batch test results via electronic means, including batch number, date, lab accreditation, test results, remediation status, and acknowledgment of natural agricultural variability.
    • Producers are not to be penalized for certain uncontrollable laboratory errors.

  • Labeling and marketing (Section 2):

    • Retail packaging must include: product identity, batch numbers, intended use as a dietary supplement, cannabinoid content and profile, ingredients, expiration date, manufacturer contact, and a QR code linking to batch details.
    • Required federal disclaimers (e.g., not FDA-evaluated, not for diagnosing or treating disease, and variability in individual results).
    • Prohibits marketing that claims disease treatment, prescribes like a pharmaceutical, marketing to minors, or false/misleading claims (including misleading cannabinoid content and remediation disclosure).

  • Regulatory authority and licensing (Section 3):

    • Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) can promulgate regulations for licensing cultivation, handling, processing, and marketing of medicinal hemp products.
    • No cap on the number of medicinal hemp licenses; licensing prioritizes existing Kentucky growers/processors, small/ Kentucky-based operations, experienced applicants, and rural economic development goals.
    • Licenses required for cultivation and processing; mandatory site access for inspections; annual background checks; felony or drug-related misdemeanor history within 10 years generally disqualifies applicants with exceptions for pre-existing lawful cultivation.
    • Compliance with current good manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and holding practices (21 C.F.R. Part 111) for handling/processing.

Who is affected

  • Hemp growers, processors, handlers, and marketers in Kentucky.
  • Applicants seeking medicinal hemp product licenses (including medical-grade designation considerations).
  • Laboratories performing batch testing and the public who will access batch results.
  • Department of Agriculture and law enforcement for compliance and inspections.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Creates new regulatory framework under KRS 260.850–260.869 with new sections detailing testing, labeling, and licensing processes.
  • Establishes a three-year minimum for batch records retention.
  • Promotes regulatory transparency via publicly accessible test results and batch information.
  • Declares an emergency to accelerate implementation, effective upon passage and governor approval or as otherwise lawfully enacted.

Note: The bill emphasizes safety, traceability, and producer viability, while avoiding new prescription requirements for medicinal hemp products and opposing excessive regulatory burdens that could disadvantage small Kentucky farmers.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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