Legalization, medical, & hemp bills assigned to Texas Senate committees

SB 209 (Legalization), SB 264 (Hemp – Perry) and SJR 22 (Legalization) were referred to Senate committees this week.

Several bills were referred to committee this week, but these three are the big standouts among them all. SB 209 from Sen. Eckhardt is a legalization bill that would allow retail sales and 12 plants of home grow. SJR 22 is also by Eckhardt and would put a measure on the ballot to let voting Texans decide on whether the legislature should be forced to craft a legalization program.

“Until Texas accepts that the demand for cannabis is not going away and regulates the market, Texas will make no progress fighting the illicit market,” noted cannabis attorney Susan Hays.

Hays has been involved with the states current cannabis programs since their inception in Texas, has helped craft initial legislation, recently ran for the position of Texas AG Commissioner and is now part of the TCUP Working Group.

SB 264 is a big standout because it is the cleanup/review bill for the Texas hemp program this legislative session. Texas hemp businesses across the hemponomic spectrum have their eyes on this bill. The biggest reason being that the bill has language attempting to eliminate delta-8 products in the state of Texas.

One of the biggest groups looking at fallout from the bill, if passed with such language, are the veterans in the state.

“Hemp-based products are legal, effective and affordable,” said Mitch Fuller to the Texas Tribune, the national and state legislative chair for the Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Mr. Fuller who has a background in both the military and local public service, has been involved with VFW for quite some time and has long been an advocate for veterans to try hemp products. Especially when the compassionate use program Texas offers has failed many, and if unaffordable.

Advocates and groups such as Jay Maguire and the Texas Hemp Federation are keeping their eyes on the bill for the very same reason. The organization has been involved in a lawsuit with the state over this issue.

“It’s important to remember what motivates our industry’s opponent in the Senate: Sen Perry clearly wants to see an end to hemp-derived cannabinoid products in Texas. Focusing on banning Delta8 or particular “synthetic” formulations are merely a couple of the many angles of attack we may be facing,” Maguire told Texas Cannabis Collective Thursday afternoon.

Maguire noted that one challenge they have is to ensure industry stakeholders are properly informed on an ongoing basis and seek their participation, so they can be heard by our elected officials.

Ilissa Nolan and the Texas Hemp Coalition are also working with offices at the capitol on the language going into these bill.

Nolan stated to TCC, “We are working with Perry’s office to come up with language that defines what synthetic cannabinoid is and what a bio-synthetic cannabinoid is defined as.”

The Texas Hemp Coalition is also working with offices on the language in the bill that describes deceptive trade practices as they are not currently supporting that with the way that it is written.

Advocates can tune in today at 12pm to listen to a live webinar from the Texas Hemp Coalition

And it’s possible that that advocates and legislators may have to weigh the language of bills against one another. Seasoned advocated have seen in the past where issues can move from one bill to another if the bills are in the realm of cannabis. So something that could be considered a loss in one bill may be made up with a giant win with another bill making it through the chambers.

Delta-8 became a hot item for two reasons: a oversaturation of CBD in the market, and demand by states without marijuana access to gain some form of legal access. Demand and necessity are the mothers of invention in the market.

Advocates will have to stay alert for notices about committee hearings if they are scheduled by following groups such as the THF, THC, TCC, TXNORML, and Texans For Responsible Marijuana Policy. It is recommended that one not only follow social media outlets but to subscribe to emails to be updated directly.