Last year, the Florida Legislature passed a bill to regulate the sale and production of currently legal hemp-derived cannabinoid products that induce euphoric feelings similar to marijuana. However, Governor DeSantis ultimately vetoed that bill.

This session, the Florida Legislature is again addressing bills similar to those from the last session.

The Florida Senate has already heard Florida Senate Bill 438 (SB438), which was unanimously approved and reportedly favorably reported by both the Senate Agriculture Committee on March 17, 2025, and the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee on March 27, 2025.

Among other provisions in SB 438, the bill would prohibit all products containing hemp-derived synthetic cannabinoids, require comprehensive product testing, restrict the locations of outlets selling hemp products, and prohibit certain types of product advertising. Likewise, cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC, HHC, THC-O, THCP, and THCV would be expressly prohibited. The Senate plan would allow THC-infused beverages to be sold only at locations with liquor licenses and must be distributed under the current three-tier system in Florida by beer and alcohol wholesalers. The bill was placed on the Senate’s Special Order Calendar for April 9, 2025.

The Florida House convened a special three-day Workshop on Cannabis earlier this Session to address hemp regulations, and the resulting committee bills that were heard this past Tuesday by the House Committee on Housing, Agriculture & Tourism were HAT 25-01 and HAT 25-02. Both bills were unanimously reported out of committee favorably. Last Friday, they were filed officially as Committee Bills HB 7027  and HB 7029.

During Tuesday’s House Committee meeting, Chairwoman Michele Salzman reiterated that the primary goal of the new hemp legislation is public safety and restricting youth access to hemp products. Notably, in the committee bills, convenience stores and gas stations would be prohibited from selling consumable hemp products, such as vapes, gummies, or THC-infused beverages. As with SB 438, the House bill would also create licensing requirements to sell consumable hemp products and impose restrictions on packaging.

Both the House and Senate bills would limit product potency and cap the total amount of delta-9 THC in other consumable products at 0.3 percent.

The Florida Legislative Session is over halfway through this year and is scheduled to conclude on May 2.

In the coming weeks, as stakeholders and legislators work to finalize potential regulatory changes for Florida’s hemp industry, Buchanan is well-positioned to provide analysis and updates on any relevant developments.

This article is co-authored by Mallory Harrell, Principal, Government Relations, Buchanan, and Daniel McGee, counsel, Buchanan.