On Monday, June 23 we hosted a post-session legislative briefing to breakdown new cannabis laws, the impact on cannabis consumers and businesses, continued opportunities for advocacy, and the 2026 political timeline.
Thanks to the passage of HB46, the Compassionate Use Program is on the verge of significant expansion — increasing patient access and opening the market to more businesses than ever before.
We’re headed into overtime on SB3! Gov. Greg Abbott has vetoed the hemp-derived THC ban, calling lawmakers back to Austin for a special session to regulate consumable hemp products.
This briefing focused on unpacking legislative changes and preparing advocates and industry leaders for what’s next — the special session, rule-making, elections, political conventions, and the Texas Cannabis Policy Conference at Texas A&M University in September. Let’s stay sharp, organized, and forward-thinking!
Resources
Cannabinoid Vape Ban - SB 2024 passed with bipartisan support. The bill bans and increases penalties for the sale of e-cigarettes (vapes) with any amount of any cannabinoid. However, this law does not appear to ban possession of otherwise legal cannabinoid vapes.
Compassionate Use Expansion - HB 46 overview with new qualifying conditions, product availability, additional licenses, and rule-making. After 10 years of slow expansion, Texas has become the 40th state to establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program. There is still room for improvement and regulatory accountability, but we are so grateful to see that more patients will have legal access to medical cannabis!
Hemp Regulation - SB 3 history and veto details. In his proclamation, Gov. Abbott called for a special session to pass hemp regulation, rather than prohibition. He outlined some of the policies he’d like to see in a regulation bill, which closely reflect the SB 3 substitute bill drafted by Chairman Ken King and the House State Affairs Committee. Here’s an overview of the bill draft, including our recommendations for improvement.
The special session starts July 21 and operates similar to a regular session, but on an abbreviated timeline (30 days). Lawmaker can introduce bills, but only those prioritized by the governor will pass. Hemp regulation is on the top of his list!