KENTUCKY — The 2025 legislative session of the Kentucky General Assembly is in the books.

This year, lawmakers in the State House and Senate, introduced 1,167 bills and resolutions for consideration.

Senate Bill 202 was sponsored by Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville. It passed out of the General Assembly with bipartisan support and was signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., at the end of March. It sets product limits, licensing structure and directs future study of cannabis-infused beverages in Kentucky.

"This product has seen an explosion, an increase in availability," Raque Adams said. "But a lot of people didn't know what it was. Back in September of '24, the licensing and occupations committee had a meeting on it and actually the industry themselves recognized that they needed to be regulated."

"We thought that from September to the start of the beginning of the General Assembly, that we would have these conversations about, what is the appropriateness and how does this product need to be regulated? Well, we found that there was an absolute void of conversation that continued. So we attempted, once we got back into session, to try to have these conversations again, and it never really came to any kind of fruition."

"Lawmakers felt like, 'Hey, this is a product that could potentially be dangerous or get into the hands of kids.' So we just went ahead and threw a bill out there and kind of worked from that product ... I think what we came to is a really great starting point for this cannabis-infused beverage." 

Under SB 202, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will regulate the cannabis-infused beverage industry, including licensing, enforcement and product standards. The law sets limits on intoxicating ingredients, establishes license types and associated fees and outlines a timeline for the ABC to develop and adopt regulations.

The University of Kentucky Cannabis Center will also conduct a study on cannabinoid beverages, with findings due in 2026. The law also temporarily extends certain sales permissions while the regulatory framework is finalized.

You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.