The Texas Senate has scheduled a public hearing for a medical cannabis expansion bill tomorrow, May 19, at 9 a.m. in the Senate chambers.
The hearing on House Bill 46 will be held by the State Affairs Committee. If approved, the bill will move to the full Senate, and passage there would send the measure to Governor Greg Abbott.
HB 46, which recently passed the House by a vote of 121 to 22, proposes major changes to the state’s medical marijuana program. The bill would allow licensed dispensaries to open satellite storage facilities and would increase the number of dispensing organizations from three to six. It also includes a requirement that newly licensed organizations begin dispensing low-THC marijuana within 24 months of receiving approval.
The measure replaces the current 1% THC limit by weight with a 300-milligram-per-package cap, providing more flexibility in how products are formulated. Additionally, it would expand the list of qualifying medical conditions to include chronic pain, degenerative disc disease, traumatic brain injury and Crohn’s disease.
Another provision would prevent local governments from banning the cultivation, production, storage or dispensing of low-THC marijuana, with the goal of ensuring patients have access across the state.
If enacted, HB 46 would mark one of the most substantial updates to Texas’ Compassionate-Use Program since it was first implemented in 2015.
