By Antonio Cordero
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS — The legalization of the production of industrial hemp is a step closer to reality after the House Agricultural Committee passed an amended bill Tuesday.

Industrial hemp can be used in a variety of ways, including the production of fuel. This is becoming a major issue in light of the higher levels of ethanol fuels will contain after the second generation of fuels comes around.

Currently, E-10 type of fuel, which contains up to 10 percent of ethanol, is the most common across the state. But a new type of ethanol fuel is set to be released – E-15 contains 50 percent more ethanol than E-10, which could potentially damage cars not meant to run on it.

The committee amended the bill in order to provide liability protection for the fuel industry in the event consumers accidentally use the wrong fuel in their cars.

“This amendment is common sense. It helps Indiana make fuels reach the marketplace. As I said it gives the station owners peace of mind knowing that they’re protected in the event that a consumer puts an incompatible fuel in their vehicle, which could happen today with other types of fuels,” said Dave Hudak, Secretary Treasurer of the Indiana Ethanol Producers Association.

It’s not just a local push – 10 other states have passed similar legislation, and Congress is also working to legalize industrial hemp at a federal level. Senator Richard Young Jr, D-Milltown, warned other lawmakers of the negative consequences not passing this bill could bring.

“That’s one of the reasons we need to be very concerned , so that we don’t find ourselves left out of the opportunity not only from an agricultural point which is very important to our state being one of the largest agricultural states and having a large part of our economy come from agriculture, but also for Indiana, we are the largest manufacturing state in the nation, and this industrial hemp provides tremendous opportunities for our manufacturing industry and in all these sectors that means jobs.”

Bob Kraft, representing the North American Industrial Hemp Council agreed.

“Other states are positioning themselves to take advantage and to put their farmers in the position to take advantage of an opportunity that will occur when, not if, but when the federal government decides to lift its prohibition,” Kraft said. “And it makes no sense at all for the state of Indiana to preclude our farmers from positioning ourselves to be able to take advantage of that opportunity.”

Hemp is also used for medicinal purposes. Cannabis Component Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, can be used as an anti-inflammatory to the brain and body. According to two Indiana mothers, clinical studies show CBD is one of the most effective tools in the treatment of Dravet Syndrome, a condition that causes severe seizures, a syndrome their sons suffer from.

Miriah Mershon and Brandy Barrett, emotionally expressed their hope the bill would become law.

“I just want that opportunity. I want the opportunity to try this on my son. This is a genetic condition that was not inherited. It was not caused by an outside factor, it just happened,” Mershon said.

Barrett agreed.

“We now know that it is possible for Noah and for others to see progress. It has been shown that if seizure activity can be decreased or stopped, the brain has time to heal and rewire,” she said.

The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.

TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS – It’s high time the National Rifle Association held its annual convention in Indianapolis. Lord knows the Indiana General Assembly, with encouragement from the governor’s office and little resistance from cautious public officials in the Circle City,

Dan Carpenter is a columnist for TheStatehouseFile.com and the author of “Indiana Out Loud.”

has earned the honor.

Long ranked as one of the loosest states for gun traffic by federal authorities and firearms control advocates, Indiana has widened the lanes in recent years as its Republican majority has grown more reactionary and special interests such as the NRA have ratcheted up their influence.

Good to see it’s generated tourist dollars. Hard to see much sense in it otherwise.

You’d think there might be some soul-searching from a state that’s tagged by the feds as a major exporter of guns used in crimes elsewhere, owing to its exemption of “private” sales from background checks and its lack of caps on the number of weapons that can be purchased at one time.

You might hope that a gun-rich state would take mass shootings in schools and workplaces as a hint to try some approach other than expanding the “right” to bring guns in one’s car to schools and workplaces.

You might expect a tough-on-crime state to respond to news reports of felons’ wrongfully obtaining gun permits in some way other than closing off the record of those permits to the public.

You might wonder why any state government facing a crisis of urban violence, such as that in Indianapolis, not only would ease restrictions on where guns can be carried but actually would forbid local governments from making their own rules in that regard.

You would not be familiar with how the mind of Indiana governance works.

What’s a stain of shame to many of us, including such radical incendiaries as police chiefs and emergency room physicians, is a badge of honor to the majority of our legislators, along with Gov. Mike Pence and his predecessor, Mitch Daniels.

Gun control is anathema to both those men; Daniels stamped his bona fides by opening state parks to firearms and Pence reacted to the Sandy Hook massacre by saying, in effect, don’t get carried away.

This was shortly after his election victory over Democrat John Gregg, who made sure voters knew he was “Bible-quotin’ and gun-totin’.” It is tough out there for Moms Against Guns, I’m here to tell you.

The list of favors to the gun lobby and Second Amendment fanatics is long and always lengthening; but the topper has to be the law enacted late in Daniels’ administration permitting householders to use force against any police officer or other public agent they believed to be unlawfully entering their home. This daft and potentially deadly sop to the fantasy frontier spirit came in response to an Indiana Supreme Court ruling against a man who’d fought with invading police. If they’re wrong, the court said, you have to complain or sue later; you’ve no inherent right to get physical.

A tough call; the only call, when you think about it. But when it comes to guns, the thinking over there seems to have all the range and focus of a sawed-off shotgun. I mean, talk about Stand Your Ground. This threatens the lives, not of annoying teenagers, but of cops and mail carriers. Just how conservative is that?

Providentially, no upstanding, licensed, rage-crazed homeowner has tested the home-is-your-castle law so far. And to our relief, much of the other gun legislation is mostly symbolic as well. Nobody has been checking Dad’s trunk when he’s come to pick up Junior; and if a House bill now pending passes as expected, nobody will be allowed to. It’s simply one more endorsement of a gun culture and a gun lobby that have made our communities a mine field that no number of gun control laws ever could sweep clean even if three ghosts visited the Statehouse tonight.

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition, rightful Hoosiers. The way this legislature figures, you make us safer wherever you tote.

Oh, uh, but the Statehouse is off limits, of course.

Dan Carpenter is a freelance writer, a contributor to Indianapolis Business Journal and the author of “Indiana Out Loud.”

Jennifer Nelson

for www.theindianalawyer.com