AUSTIN – The Texas Senate has once again passed a bill that would enact a full ban on THC in hemp-derived consumables, setting up a potential showdown with Gov. Greg Abbott, who previously vetoed a similar measure.
Senate Passes THC ban
What we know:
The legislation, Senate Bill 5, passed the chamber Friday and now heads to the House. It would prohibit the sale of products containing any amount of THC, while still allowing for the sale of non-intoxicating cannabinoids like CBD and CBG.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Texas legislature takes up THC ban again
In this FOX 7 Care Force, what is the outlook for a major issue for many Texas veterans? Hemp and THC products to treat PTSD. The governor vetoed a total ban passed by the legislature. Now the issue is up again in the special session. Mitch Fuller with the Veterans of Foreign Wars joined FOX 7 Austin’s Mike Warren to discuss.
Abbott vetoed an identical bill during the regular session, citing concerns about legal challenges and urging lawmakers to instead regulate the products. Following the veto, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick vowed the Senate would pass a full ban again.
The House has filed legislation identical to SB 5 but has not yet held a hearing. Should the House pass the bill, Abbott would again have the choice of whether to veto the measure or call lawmakers back for another special session.
Other Legislation Moves Forward
In other legislative action, the Senate gave final approval to two other bills from the governor’s special session call. Senate Bill 12 would ban political subdivisions from using public funds to hire professional lobbyists. Senate Bill 11 would allow the state attorney general to intervene in election law cases if local prosecutors do not pursue charges within six months.
The Senate Local Government Committee advanced a bill that would lower the rollback rate on property taxes from 3.5% to 2.5%, making the municipal threshold the same as for school district property taxes. The Senate Business and Commerce Committee approved a bill that strengthens protections against real property and deed fraud by requiring valid photo ID for over-the-counter transactions and sharing information with county prosecutors.
Hearing Addresses Hill Country Flooding
In response to the recent deadly flooding in the Texas Hill Country over the July 4th weekend, the Senate and House Select Committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding held a public hearing in Kerrville. Lawmakers heard from county officials and residents for nearly 14 hours as they consider legislation to improve flood recovery efforts, prediction and prevention strategies, and warning systems.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Texas Senate.
Great Job Amber.Kite@fox.com (Amber Kite) & the Team @ Latest News | FOX 7 Source link for sharing this story.
