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By State Rep. Dennis Powers

House advances bill to regulate hemp-derived THC products

To protect consumer health and safety, a new law seeks to regulate the sale and distribution of hemp-derived products in Tennessee.

House Bill 1376 establishes a regulatory system to better control the distribution and sale of hemp-based tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products. Hemp-derived THC products are widely available through retail sales in Tennessee and sold in the form of gummies, patches, beverages, and flowers.

Sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, House Bill 1376 transfers regulatory authority from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission and establishes a hemp distributor license. It requires hemp suppliers to register hemp brands and assign a distributor through the Tennessee Department of Revenue. It will be regulated similarly to the way alcohol is regulated in Tennessee.

These products need to be tested, they need proper labeling, and we need to make sure we are only selling to (adults) ages 21 and up.”

House Bill 1376 is expected to be heard for consideration in the House Judiciary Committee on March 5.

House hopes to expand community school grants

A proposal to create a community school grant program advanced out of the House K-12 Subcommittee this week.  House Bill 225, sponsored by State Rep. Kirk Haston, repeals the Tennessee Community Schools Act passed in 2014 to establish a grant program to fund and expand full-service community schools across the state.

Full-service community schools are public schools that partner with local organizations to provide a variety of services to students and their families during and after school hours, including mental health support, tutoring and GED classes for parents.

“Research shows that properly implemented community schools have reduced absenteeism, increases in math and ELA test scores and reduced school discipline rates,” Haston said.

The legislation would allow local school boards to use grant funds administered by the University of Tennessee (UT) system to create the schools. The UT system will also be responsible for evaluating and sharing best practices for effective community schools.

There are currently 158 community schools across the Volunteer State serving more than 100,000 students.  House Bill 225 is scheduled to be heard in the House Education Committee on March 4.

Resolution urges reporting of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

The Tennessee House of Representatives on Feb. 27 unanimously passed a resolution urging the Tennessee Department of Health to create a reporting system to track Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), a common inherited neurological disorder affecting an estimated 2,800 Tennesseans.

Sponsored by State Rep. Dennis Powers, R-Jacksboro, House Joint Resolution 120 emphasizes the importance of better data collection to help the state allocate health care resources more effectively. Powers shared his personal connection to the disease with members on the House floor.

“We don’t know how many people in Tennessee have been affected by this rare disease. I know a lot about it because I, too, was diagnosed in 2011,” Powers said. “CMT is a disease that attacks your peripheral nervous system, and there is no cure for it.”

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease impacts approximately one in 2,500 people nationwide. Accurate data on CMT cases could boost Tennessee’s ability to secure federal research grants and attract specialized care centers. Grammy-winning artist Linda Davis also spoke to members of the General Assembly about how CMT has impacted her family.

“When someone you love has a disorder like CMT, you do everything you can to learn, to help and to hope,” Davis said. “For my family, CMT is the common enemy we have faced for decades.”

The resolution calls on the Tennessee Department of Health to use existing electronic health record systems and resources to voluntarily report CMT cases, requiring no additional state funding.

State Rep. Dennis Powers represents the 36th House District, which includes Campbell, Union and parts of Claiborne County. He is the Full Chairman of the Public Acts Committee in the Tennessee House of Representatives.  He also serves on the Business and Utilities Subcommittee, the State and Local Government Committee, Commerce Committee, Department and Agencies Sub-committee and Calendar and Rules Committee.