Twenty Republicans and one Democrat in the Texas Legislature filed legislation today that would prohibit hemp-derived THC and all related products, reviving a measure that recently cleared the Senate but needs to be voted on again now that the legislature is in a new special session.
Hemp THC gummies.
The proposal, Senate Bill 6, is identical to Senate Bill 5, which passed the Senate during a special session before dozens of House Democrats left the state in protest of redistricting, halting progress on the measure. With a new legislative session beginning today, lawmakers are wasting no time in reintroducing the bill, which is expected to again move quickly through the Senate before heading to the House for a likely vote.
If enacted, the legislation would ban the manufacture, sale, and possession of consumable hemp products containing any cannabinoid other than CBD or CBG. It would also impose strict licensing and registration requirements, significant fees for businesses, packaging and labeling mandates, and criminal penalties for violations. Offenses could range from misdemeanors to third-degree felonies depending on the conduct.
Retailers would be required to register each sales location with the state at a cost of $20,000 annually, while manufacturers would pay $10,000 per licensed facility. The bill also prohibits marketing or packaging deemed attractive to minors, the sale of such products to anyone under 21, and the sale of hemp products for smoking.
At the time of publication, the Senate State Affairs Committee is conducting a public hearing on Senate Bill 6, with a potential vote coming later today. The committee’s approval would send the bill to the full Senate.
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