Texas Governor Rick Perry won’t reveal whether he intends to sign a bill sent last week that would outlaw any hemp-derived cannabinoid product that contains detectable THC.
Governor Perry was forced to act after the Sen. Charles Perry’s (R) legislation was met with fierce opposition from groups representing veterans, the hemp industry and others. Greg Abbott (R), during a separate bill-signing ceremony, was asked what he intended to do with the cannabis measure.
SB 3 “is one of literally more than a thousand bills on my desk—all of which need my careful consideration and evaluation—and I will give all of those pieces of legislation the consideration and time that they deserve,” Abbott said, while sitting beside one of the measure’s most vocal supporters, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
These comments were made as hemp supporters and stakeholders handed Abbott more than 100,000 petitions with signatures calling for him to veto the bill. Critics of the bill have said the industry—which employs an estimated 53,000 people—would be decimated if the measure becomes law.
There are three options available to the governor: sign or veto, or allow for it to go through without his signature. His decision must be made by June 22.
A reporter asked Abbott on Tuesday how he felt about current policies “as dad.” The governor declined again to give his opinion, telling the reporter that it was “a very nice twist to the question,” “but you’re not going to receive an answer.”
In the same vein, Abbott’s spokesperson declined to divulge his plan last month. He said that Abbott “will thoughtfully examine any legislation” sent to his desk.
Texas legislators legalized hemp consumption in 2019 following the passage of the federal Farm Bill of 2018, which made the plant legal nationwide. That’s led to an explosion of products—including edibles, drinks, vape products and cured flower—sold by an estimated 8,000 retailers.
Military veterans advocates, including Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars, have called on the governor to veto the hemp ban, saying it “would cause irreversible harm to communities across the state.”
Farmers have also said the prohibition would devastate a key sector of the state’s agriculture industry.
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Last month, meanwhile, the Texas House passed a pair of bills designed to ensure speedy access to psychedelic-assisted therapy in the event of FDA approval, but they did not clear the Senate by the end of the session.
More recently, lawmakers over the weekend passed a bill to significantly expand the state’s medical marijuana program, sending it to the governor.
Over the weekend, bicameral negotiators reached a compromise after the Senate passed the bill from Rep. Ken King. The amendments diluted the House’s original proposal. Each chamber then gave its final approval Sunday.
The final version of the bill—which cleared the House on a 138-1 vote and the Senate by a vote of 31-0—would expand the state’s list of medical cannabis qualifying conditions to include chronic pain, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases, while also allowing end-of-life patients in palliative or hospice care to use marijuana.
Separately in Texas, a House committee approved a Senate-passed bill last month that would prohibit cities from putting any citizen initiative on local ballots that would decriminalize marijuana or other controlled substances—as several localities have already done despite lawsuits from the state attorney general.
Under the proposal, state law would be amended to say that local entities “may not place an item on a ballot, including a municipal charter or charter amendment, that would provide that the local entity will not fully enforce” state drug laws.
While several courts have previously upheld local cannabis decriminalization laws, an appellate court comprised of three conservative justices appointed by the governor has recently pushed back against two of those rulings, siding with the state in its legal challenge to the marijuana policy in Austin and San Marcos.
Despite the ongoing litigation and advancement of the House and Senate bills, Texas activists have their targets set on yet another city, Kyle, where they hope put an initiative before voters to enact local marijuana reform at the ballot this coming November.
A recent poll found that four in five Texas voters want to see marijuana legalized in some form, and most also want to see regulations around cannabis relaxed.
North Carolina Governor backs marijuana legalization and forms a bipartisan commission to craft a plan
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