Overview

• The Senate State Affairs Committee voted 10-0 to advance Senate Bill 5, which would bar any consumable hemp product containing detectable cannabinoids other than CBD or CBG and elevate manufacture or possession to felony offenses.
• Gov. Greg Abbott has endorsed banning intoxicating hemp products for those under 21 and outlawing synthetically derived strains like Delta-8, while calling for an alcohol-style regulatory system that caps THC at 3 milligrams per serving for adults.
• Law enforcement officials, led by Allen Police Chief Steve Dye, testified that licensing, lab testing and enforcement would overwhelm resources, making a full prohibition the only viable enforcement strategy.
• Members of the Texas House have signaled support for a strict regulatory regime instead of an outright ban, setting up a clash between the Senate’s prohibition approach and the House’s framework model.
• Hemp industry groups and veterans warn that a blanket ban could cripple the state’s $10 billion hemp sector and cut off critical therapeutic alternatives relied on by patients and service members.