State-by-State Kratom Developments
January 2020
The goal set by the AKA for the upcoming 2020 legislative sessions in the states is to secure passage in 21 additional states for the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), bringing the total to 25 states who have enacted consumer protections for kratom consumers.
I wanted to give you an update on that goal, with some details on where things stand to date. All of the efforts undertaken both at the federal and state level are funded by kratom advocates, and we may have to make some adjustments based on the funding that is current available for this project just after January 1, 2020.
STATES WHERE LOBBYISTS HAVE BEEN RETAINED:
| 1. Oregon | 5. Missouri | 9. Ohio | |
| 2. Idaho | 6. Illinois | 10. Tennessee | |
| 3. Colorado | 7. Michigan | 11. Alabama | |
| 4. Kansas | 8. Wisconsin | 12. Florida |
STATES WHERE LOBBYIST FUNDING IS NEEDED:
| 1. Louisiana | 4. West Virginia | 7. South Carolina |
| 2. Mississippi | 5. Virginia | 8. Pennsylvania |
| 3. Oklahoma | 6. North Carolina | 9. New York |
STATES WHERE AKA IS HANDLING CONTACTS WITH STATE OFFICIALS:
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Arkansas (no legislative session in 2020)
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Rhode Island
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Texas (no legislative session in 2020)
Some states, like Texas and Arkansas, do not have legislative sessions scheduled in 2020, but there are official “interim meetings” where legislators meet to review proposed legislation and policies for their states. In those states we will aggressively educate and prepare for the introduction and passage of the KCPA as soon as their sessions convene in 2021.
In Rhode Island, the Director of the Department of Health has held meetings with the AKA team, Utah State Senator Curt Bramble, and leading science expert on kratom, Jack Henningfield, Ph.D.
As previously reported, the Director has formally opened a review of the current ban on kratom and has pledged to review the regulatory scheme in the Kratom Consumer Protection Act to determine if they might fit the needs of Rhode Island.
**Please only use this information to approach policymakers in your own state/district, as constituents have the most influence on the political process. Overwhelming lawmakers with requests, unless directed to do so by the AKA for specific purposes, could have a negative impact on the push to keep kratom legal.**