Nebraska’s unicameral legislature spent hours on Wednesday evening debating a proposed tax bill containing a provision that would set a 100 percent tax rate on CBD and consumable hemp products—part of a broader package of sales tax changes meant to bring in more money to state coffers in an effort to offset property taxes.
While the bill’s sponsor now says in response to criticism that the 100 percent tax rate is not set in stone, no alternative came up during the lengthy floor discussion.
Other lawmakers did push back against the hemp and CBD tax at various points in the floor debate, with some saying the state should instead legalize and regulate marijuana as an alternative way to raise revenue.
“I looked around. I saw some statistics on other states—neighboring states—and it’s a lot lower. Definitely not 100 percent,” said Sen. Terrell McKinney (D). “So we’re not going to be comparable to our neighboring states if we tax it at 100 percent.”
“Honestly speaking, what we really need to have a conversation about in our state, in the state of Nebraska, is our refusal to open ourselves up to other revenue streams,” he continued. “One revenue stream that we should
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