Tennessee’s 2026 Legislative Session Starts January 13. Here’s Why You Need to Pay Attention and Who Stood with the Hemp Industry Last Time.

The Fight Continues: Why Legislative Defense Is Critical

Tennessee’s next legislative session begins January 13, and anyone operating in the hemp marketplace should brace for impact. We don’t yet know what new bills are coming, but based on last session’s attempt to outlaw THCa statewide, and with recent federal restrictions adding uncertainty, the industry can’t afford to sit on the sidelines.

We Cannot Let Our Guard Down Against Big Alcohol

The hemp industry’s greatest threat isn’t just regulatory flux. It’s the well-funded interests working to eliminate our market entirely. For decades, big alcohol has perfected the art of regulatory capture, securing control over who can legally produce and sell intoxicating products. They view hemp — especially THCa — as a direct threat to their monopoly.

Their resources, lobbyists, and political relationships give them an outsized advantage. And with new federal restrictions in place, they now have even more leverage to push states toward policies designed to wipe out hemp competition.

The Big Marijuana Threat

At the same time, federal rescheduling efforts have opened the door for big marijuana — large, corporate, investor-backed cannabis companies — to eye Tennessee’s market. They see our local hemp businesses not as partners, but as competitors to be removed.

Their strategy is clear: support restrictive regulations that tilt the playing field toward vertically integrated, well-capitalized cannabis operations. They’re also active in Washington, pushing federal definitions and rules that would shrink the legal space hemp businesses operate in. Tennessee’s hemp sector is in their way.

This Industry Has Never Been for the Thin-Skinned

This industry has never been easy. It rewards resilience, grit, and the willingness to stand firm when opponents assume you’ll back down. After last session’s battles and the latest federal disruptions, our adversaries expect the industry to retreat.

That’s exactly why we can’t.

We cannot allow monopolies, out-of-state corporations, or DC-driven agendas to dictate Tennessee’s hemp future.

Fighting on Multiple Fronts

Our work isn’t limited to Nashville. Federal overreach threatens to undermine state sovereignty and wipe out locally owned hemp businesses. The recent federal ban underscores why advocacy at both the state and federal levels must work in sync.

Support the Legislators Who Fought for You

Some lawmakers stood up for this industry last session — publicly, forcefully, and despite pressure from multiple directions. Those leaders deserve recognition and continued support.

To be clear: this isn’t campaign messaging. It’s acknowledging who fought for your ability to stay in business.

If these votes mattered to you, consider reaching out and letting those legislators know. Staying engaged with lawmakers is one of the simplest ways to keep good policy on the table and harmful policy off it.

The Vote That Ended THCa in Tennessee

Last session, lawmakers passed an amendment to HB 1376 (now Public Chapter 526) that bans THCa in Tennessee on paper, though enforcement is delayed for legacy license holders through June 30, 2026.

The amendment tightened the definition of “hemp” so aggressively it sweeps nearly every THCa product into a prohibited category.

The vote passed by a slim margin — but the lawmakers who voted against that amendment are the ones who stood with Tennessee’s hemp businesses, farmers, processors, and retailers.

These elected officials publicly opposed an overreach that erased legitimate businesses overnight:

• Behn - D
• Boyd - R
• Brooks - D
• Burkhart - R
• Camper - D
• Chism - D
• Clemmons - D
• Darby - R
• Faison - R
• Farmer - R
• Freeman - D
• Gant - R
• Gillespie - R
• Glynn - D
• Hakeem - D
• Harris - D
• Haston - R
• Hemmer - D
• Hurt - R
• Johnson - D
• Lafferty - R
• Love - D
• Marsh - R
• Martin B - R
• Martin G - R
• McKenzie - D
• Miller - D
• Parkinson - D
• Powell - D
• Reedy - R
• Salinas - D
• Shaw - D
• Terry - R
• Towns - D
• Travis - R
• Vaughan - R
• Williams - R
• Mr. Speaker Sexton - R

These 38 — across party lines — recognized what many of us already know: Tennessee’s hemp sector is a real industry employing real people, and the state shouldn’t legislate it out of existence without facts, nuance, or economic awareness.

Here's the link to the full vote: Tennessee House Vote. Scroll to the "Amendment 11" section to see the count.

What Public Chapter 526 Actually Does — And What Still Matters for 2026

Public Chapter 526 is a comprehensive overhaul of Tennessee’s hemp-derived cannabinoid framework. Among other major changes:

• Outlaws THCa flower and concentrates  
• Regulation moved from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC).
• A new licensing and tax structure was created.
• Testing, labeling, packaging, and age-restriction rules expanded significantly.

Most importantly:
TABC granted an extension keeping THCa legal through June 30, 2026 for any business holding a legacy Tennessee Department of Agriculture license.

You can read our earlier breakdown here:

• “What January 1 Really Means for Tennessee’s Hemp Industry”
• “Tennessee’s Hemp Overhaul Is Here — Let’s Talk About What It Means”

This extension gives businesses a small window — not safety. And that’s why the next legislative session matters.

A Quick but Important Update: The Tennessee Growers Coalition Is Transitioning into Litson Government Relations

A lot has happened in Tennessee’s hemp policy world this year, and not everyone has caught the update.

The Tennessee Growers Coalition (TGC) is transitioning its advocacy work into Litson Government Relations.

This isn’t a shutdown, and it’s not a loss. It’s a strategic move to protect the industry’s advocacy infrastructure heading into the 2026 session.

TGC faced the same structural problems the hemp industry does — including sudden banking disruptions and payment processor shutdowns. TGC’s credit-card processor even terminated their account with no warning, making it nearly impossible to operate under the old membership model.  

Rather than keep fighting an unsustainable system, the decision was made to move advocacy under a more stable, professional framework that can’t be debanked and can support long-term industry needs.

Kelley Hess Isn’t Going Anywhere — She’s Now Director of Litson Government Relations

Kelley Hess is now serving as the Director of Government Relations at LGR.
You’re getting the same advocate with the same legislative relationships and same institutional memory.

She’s now backed by a structure that actually matches the scale of the industry’s challenges.

In other words, if you relied on TGC for updates, strategy, or representation at the Capitol, your point of contact hasn’t changed — the foundation under her has simply become stronger.

What LGR Provides That TGC Couldn’t Sustainably Offer

LGR offers:

• professionalized lobbying support
• reliable billing and administrative infrastructure
• real-time bill tracking
• regulatory coordination with Hemp Law Group
• a long-term model built for growth and stability  

This positions the hemp industry far better, heading into the next legislative session.

And Yes — There’s Also a New Hemp PAC Coming in 2026

TGC’s mission isn’t disappearing; it’s evolving into two coordinated parts:

• Litson Government Relations handles day-to-day advocacy and legislative work.
• A new Hemp & Cannabis Political Action Committee (launching in 2026) will focus on supporting pro-hemp and cannabis candidates and building long-term political influence.

Most people haven’t heard about the PAC yet either, so this blog helps put the pieces together before the session begins.

Why Your Business Should Care About the 2026 Session

Lawmakers have already shown they're willing to tighten definitions in ways that directly affect your bottom line. With big alcohol lobbying for restrictions that protect their market dominance and big marijuana interests pushing for regulations that favor large corporate operations over local businesses, the 2026 session could bring:  

• stricter licensing or taxation designed to price out smaller operators
• revised product and potency definitions influenced by corporate competitors who want to eliminate hemp alternatives
• new enforcement tools that disproportionately impact independent businesses
• stricter 3 tier system: supply-chain laws rules that impact growers, processors, and retailers while benefiting vertically integrated corporations
• federal alignment measures that could incorporate the restrictive redefinition of hemp being pushed by big marijuana interests in Washington, D.C.

Even if you're not in Nashville, the consequences will reach you. These aren't just regulatory adjustments—they're strategic moves by well-funded interests who view Tennessee's thriving hemp marketplace as a threat to their monopolistic control.

How to Support the Lawmakers Who Supported You

This isn’t political, and it isn’t campaign messaging. It’s a recognition.

If you operate in this industry and that amendment vote mattered to you:

• Consider reaching out to the lawmakers who voted no and let them know you appreciate their stance.
• Consider supporting their campaigns—because the alternative is legislators dominated by those who would rather see our industry eliminated than regulated fairly.
• Stay in touch with your own representative so they understand how hemp laws affect your business and customers.
• Use the official tool to find your legislator and contact information: https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/Apps/fml2022/search.aspx

Support can be simple. A respectful message matters more than most people think.

What Hemp Law Group & Litson Government Relations Are Preparing For

Under the Litson umbrella, Hemp Law Group and Litson Government Relations are preparing for a legislative session where anything could move quickly.

We’ll be watching:

• every bill filing
• every amendment
• every committee hearing
• every vote that touches cannabinoids, retail operations, enforcement, taxes, licensing, packaging, testing. 3-tiered system.

We will translate these developments, so you know what’s actually happening and when you need to act.

If you haven’t already, now is the time to ensure your paperwork, licenses, labels, and sourcing documentation are squared away. This session won’t be the year to scramble.

We’ll Keep You Updated

The industry didn’t choose this regulatory landscape, but it still has to navigate it. Our team will keep you informed as soon as the 2026 session begins and bills start moving.

Stay ready, stay engaged, and don’t let decisions happen without your voice being part of the record.

If you want to get ahead of what January 13 might bring, HLG Compliance Director Clint Palmer is opening a small number of free 15-minute consultations for hemp businesses preparing for the new session. These fill quickly every year. Schedule yours before the remaining slots are gone: https://cal.com/clint/15min

This blog is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice.

‍