Gov. Mike Kehoe signed four bills into law Thursday afternoon, including a ban on intoxicating hemp products and changes to antisemitism policy in schools and colleges.
House Bill 2641, sponsored by Rep. Dave Hinman, R-O’Fallon, and Sen. David Gregory, R-St. Louis, bans intoxicating hemp-based products and establishes the “Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control Act.”
The new law, which goes into effect Nov. 12, will ban intoxicating hemp products, including THC seltzers and hemp products currently sold in grocery stores and bars. The bill puts the state in line with federal laws passed in November.
“(The bill would) align the state of Missouri with the federal government to discontinue intoxicating hemp products from the shelves, making Missouri a safer place,” Hinman said.
Marijuana dispensaries and other authorized stores will also not be allowed to sell edible THC products any longer.
“These are the kind of things we are putting an end to; these are dangerous for our kids and dangerous to our communities,” Gregory said.
House Bill 2061, sponsored by Rep. George Hruza, R-St. Louis, and Sen. Curtis Trent, R-Republic, aims to protect students in public schools from discrimination and antisemitism.
The bill, which goes into effect Aug. 28, adopts the working definition of antisemitism from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and requires schools to treat antisemitic threats as a Title VI violation. The bill also requires that these concerns be investigated and addressed.
“Missouri stands with Israel and its people, and we want to make sure the world understands that,” Kehoe said.
Members of the Jewish Federation throughout Missouri showed up to show their support and take pictures with the representatives and the governor.
House Bill 2934, sponsored by Rep. Brad Christ, R-St. Louis, and Sen. Brian Williams, D-University City, will merge the St. Louis Regional Sports Authority and the St. Louis Regional Convention and Visitors Commission under one commission.
Lastly, House Bill 2423, sponsored by Rep. Philip Oehlerking, R-Ballwin, and Sen. Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo, revises provisions under the Division of Finance to create new funds for money deposits for consumers for credit licensing fees.
House Bills 2934 and 2423 go into effect Aug. 28.
