A. The Board may adopt regulations pursuant to this chapter as necessary to register persons to grow, deal in, or process industrial hemp or implement the provisions of this chapter.
B. Upon publication by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Federal Register of any final rule regarding industrial hemp that materially expands opportunities for growing, producing, or dealing in industrial hemp in the Commonwealth, the Board shall immediately adopt amendments conforming Department regulations to such federal final rule. Such adoption of regulations by the Board shall be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).
2015, cc. 158, 180; 2018, cc. 689, 690; 2019, cc. 653, 654; 2020, c. 620.