Yesterday, the Maine state Senate joined the House and voted to override Gov. LePage's veto of a bill to authorize hemp farming in the state without gaining any federal permission.

Introduced by Rep. Deborah Sanderson (R-Chelsea) and cosponsored by a bipartisan coalition of seven Senators and Representatives, LD4 amends the current hemp farming law in the state by removing a requirement that licenses are contingent on approval by the Federal Government. It reads, in part:

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person may plant, grow, harvest, possess, process, sell and buy industrial hemp

On May 12, the House voted 135-6 to override LaPage's veto, and today, the Senate voted 27-6 to do the same. A 2/3 vote is required to override a veto in Maine and these votes easily cleared even that high hurdle.