Overview

• On Aug. 13 the House Public Health Committee heard testimony on HB 5, a measure that mirrors previously vetoed legislation to restrict hemp-derived THC products
• House Bill 5 would prohibit all consumable cannabinoids except CBD and CBG, impose annual licensing fees of $10,000 for manufacturers and $20,000 for retailers, charge $500 per product registration and create third-degree felony penalties
• Police chiefs and sheriffs presented undercover video and lab tests showing high-potency THC products with concentrations up to 70% marketed to minors and argued regulation is unworkable
• Crime-lab officials warned that with just 266 licensed chemists statewide and chronic underfunding, Texas labs lack the capacity to handle increased THC testing under either a ban or a regulatory framework
• The bill’s outlook is uncertain after Gov. Abbott vetoed similar restrictions in June and President Trump’s comments on reclassifying marijuana introduce new federal legal questions