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Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday vetoed a bill that would have banned hemp products with any amount of THC, only hours before the measure would have gone into effect without his signature. Abbott vetoed the legislation, Senate Bill 3, only one day after signing a measure to expand the state’s medical cannabis program.
Had Abbott signed SB 3 into law, it would have banned all consumable hemp products with any amount or form of THC, including delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC, the compound largely associated with the psychoactive effects of marijuana. The legislation is inconsistent with federal law, which defines hemp as cannabis with less than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight.
After he vetoed the bill, Abbott called on the legislature to return to the state Capitol in Austin for a special legislative session to begin on July 21. The governor also indicated that regulating hemp products would be a priority for the special session.
“Texas must enact a regulatory framework that protects public safety, aligns with federal law, has a fully funded enforcement structure and can take effect without delay,” Abbott said, according to a report from the Texas Tribune.
Abbott faced strong pressure to veto SB 3 from consumers who use hemp products instead of medical cannabis, including CBD. The governor received petitions with more than 150,000 signatures calling on him to veto the legislation, while thousands more Texans shared their concerns through handwritten letters.
Abbott’s SB 3 Veto Cites Federal Law
In his veto proclamation, Abbott maintained that the legislation would not have survived “valid constitutional challenges,” and that the complete THC ban included in the measure “puts federal and state law on a collision course,” noting that the federal 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp products.
“Allowing Senate Bill 3 to become law — knowing that it faces a lengthy battle that will render it dead on arrival in court — would hinder rather than help us solve the public safety issues this bill seeks to contain,” Abbott said. “The current market is dangerously under-regulated, and children are paying the price. If Senate Bill 3 is swiftly enjoined by a court, our children will be no safer than if no law was passed, and the problems will only grow.”
Hemp Industry Applauds Veto Of Senate Bill 3
After Abbott’s veto of SB 3, the Texas Hemp Business Council issued a statement commending the governor for the move, saying it protects “a vibrant, federally legal hemp industry that employs 53,000 Texans and generates over $4.3 billion in annual sales.”
“SB 3 would have banned widely used, federally legal hemp-derived products, pushing consumers toward unsafe alternatives and threatening public health and choice,” the trade group wrote. “Governor Abbott’s veto protects the hundreds of thousands of farmers, veterans, small businesses and adult consumers across Texas who rely on hemp for wellness and their livelihoods.”
Reid Stewart, CEO of hemp products manufacturer Frozen Fields, also commended Abbott’s veto, saying that the governor’s decision “recognizes that sensible regulation is superior to outright prohibition.”
“This outcome preserves thousands of Texas jobs and billions in economic activity while maintaining the state’s ability to implement appropriate safeguards,” Stewart writes in an email. “The hemp industry has consistently supported responsible regulation, including strict age verification, product testing, and transparent labeling.”
Abbott’s veto was not the only action he took on cannabis policy reform over the weekend. On Saturday, he signed a bill to significantly expand the state’s medical marijuana program.
“}]] Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a bill banning hemp THC products, citing federal law. The move protects a $4.3B industry and more than 50,000 jobs statewide. Read More
