Texas Senate committee advances new THC ban during special legislative session
Just weeks after the governor vetoed a bill banning products containing THC, state senators revived it in the special session, filing nearly identical legislation and passing it unanimously out of committee with a 10-0 vote on Tuesday.
Gov. Greg Abbott explicitly asked lawmakers to regulate, not ban, hemp products. Senators argued on Tuesday that it's not going to work.
"We'll regulate it," said Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood. "We'll regulate it by banning it. Because we already tried regulating it."
Allen Police Chief Steve Dye and Kaufman County District Attorney Leigh Wiley were the first of several invited witnesses to argue that most hemp-derived products on the market today are harmful.
"When I went into the largest of the three warehouses, it looked like a giant candy store," said Dye. "So many packages marketed to our young people."
Dye, who has led raids of hemp stores and warehouses, argues regulation would be too difficult and costly to be effective.
"Regulation would likely be seen by the industry as carte blanche legalization," Dye said.
THC advocates say outright ban would hurt Texas
Advocates argue a ban would close hundreds of businesses and hurt Texans who use these products.
"Hemp-derived consumables are affordable, accessible and effective," said Mitch Fuller, who represents the Texas VFW.
Fuller said many of the VFW's 65,000 veterans see the industry as an alternative to alcohol and opioids. But senators dismissed those claims.
"We're taking a stance on this," said Fuller. "Again, no one's using us; we are doing this on our own volition because it helps us. It works great."
Abbott was quoted by Impact News on Tuesday, saying he does want to ban intoxicating consumable THC products, which he views as those with more than 3 milligrams of THC. That's still more than what the Senate seems to want to allow, but it may be a sign he's willing to compromise.
Senate Bill 5 now heads to the full Senate.
