Texas House Panel Amends Senate-Passed THC Ban to Allow Limited Sales

The Texas House State Affairs Committee voted 15-0 last week to advance a
Senate-approved ban on THC sales; the panel, however, amended the proposal
to create a regulatory framework for hemp-derived edibles, beverages, and
low-dose flower products, KXAN reports.

The bill, which passed the Senate in March, originally called for banning
products that contain any amount of THC, including products legally
classified as hemp. However, the House-amended version would instead limit
hemp product sales to adults aged 21 and older.

The bill also outlines product testing requirements and a licensing fee
structure, and would put the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission in charge
of overseeing hemp product regulations. THC vaporizer products would still
be banned. Other products would be allowed, according to a summary of the
changes, “as long as they do not resemble a common snack marketed to
children.”

Retail locations would be required to be at least 1,000 feet from any
school, church, playground, daycare, or homeless shelter, the report said,
and counties would be allowed to “opt out” of the hemp product rules with a
local vote.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) said late last year that banning THC sales
in the state is one of his top priorities for the legislative session.

Meanwhile, hemp supporters held a rally last month at the Texas State
Capitol building in opposition to the Legislature’s efforts to ban all
forms of THC.