Texas cannabis industry faces collapse as THC ban heads to governor's desk
Texas lawmakers passed a bill with bipartisan support to ban THC products in Texas, aruging they're too dangerous for consumers. Industry leaders say it could essentially eliminate a multi-billion dollar industry in the state. Both sides are waiting to see if Gov. Greg Abbott will sign or veto the bill. Ed Lavandera reports.
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Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Newsweek
Texas Homeowners Worry About 'Loopholes' in New Property Tax Cut Law
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Texas homeowners struggling under the growing burden of rising housing costs are supportive of the new package of property tax cuts signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on Monday. However, some are worried that appraisers may find "loopholes" around them to keep bills high. "The governor is trying to help, but local counties will just find loopholes in the laws and pull the money from our pockets," Jeff, a Parker County Texas homeowner, told Newsweek, revealing a deep frustration with Texas' County Appraisal Districts (CAD) which seems to be shared by several other readers. What's Behind Texas Homeowners' Frustration? Property tax bills have surged over the past five years in Texas due to skyrocketing home values exacerbating locals' affordability struggles. Between 2019 and 2023 alone—years marked by the pandemic homebuying frenzy—property taxes in the Lone Star State jumped by 26 percent, according to Cotality. As of 2025, Texas homeowners pay the seventh-highest property taxes in the country, according to SmartAsset, at an effective rate of 1.63 percent, significantly higher than the national average of 0.90 percent. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty/Canva On average, a Texas homeowner pays $3,872 a year in property taxes, which are levied by local governments and used to fund public services, including schools, roads, police, and firefighting. The rise in property taxes, which has occurred nationwide, has hit senior homeowners the hardest, as they often rely on a fixed income and are less well-equipped to shoulder a suddenly heavier financial burden. What Do the New Laws Promise Homeowners? The new package of property tax cuts, which includes two key bills raising the homestead exemption in the state, is Abbott's latest attempt to offer homeowners relief after signing into law what was the largest property tax cut in the state's history in 2023. One bill contained in the package, signed by the governor on Monday, SB 4, would raise the existing homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 for all homeowners. Another, SB 23, would raise it to $200,000 for those with disabilities or those aged 65 and above. The two bills include constitutional amendments that would need to be approved by voters in November to be enshrined into Texas state law. Why Do Homeowners Remain Skeptical About Relief? Several readers wrote to Newsweek, expressing enthusiasm for the new property tax cuts, but also voicing concerns that they might not result in a significant reduction in their bills. "No homeowner over 70 should pay property taxes. And 65 to 70 only half. Our senior years are fraught with enough worries, medical, food, insurance etc without worrying about losing their home," one Austin-based homeowner said. "I've had to sell all of my investment holdings to afford property tax for my remaining years. But it seems that the CAD just raises our appraised values to counteract Abbott's help." Jeff said that his home has appreciated in market value by 73 percent since 2020, a number that he can hardly believe is accurate. "Local governments blame [price] growth, but in all reality, it's poor management by our local government," he said. "I personally have now protested my taxed appraised market value three times now, each time getting minimal relief. The fact that they are willing to adjust your market value tells you they are playing the numbers to bring in more money," he said. John, another Texas homeowner, said that, on average, his property evaluations have increased from $270,000 to $563,000 over the last eight years. "My annual property tax leapt from $4,300 annually, to just north of $7,000," he said. "This past year, as well as this year, upcoming, will be in the neighborhood of $6,200, largely due to the efforts of the past two legislative periods," he added. The news of the new property tax cuts signed by Abbott was "music to my ears," John said. "You've always heard that mantra, 'I don't want to rent my home after it's paid for from my school district,'" Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said after the two bills passed the state legislature. "Well, seniors, to the average senior out there, you're never going to have to do that again." John said that Patrick's comment about paying rent to the school district "is no quip." "My breakdown, most recently, is at $15,00 city, $1,250 county, and $3,500 school district distribution," he said. "While it's true that 'it takes a village,' my kids are adults in the workforce themselves. While paying much higher property taxes to schools, I was still on the hook for community pencils, paper, notebooks, and Kleenex, for distribution to children by the teachers," he said. "Along with anything teachers did to create a more engaged environment in their classrooms, that was out of their pockets." While John appreciates how municipal governments spend the money he pays in property taxes, he feels that there is insufficient transparency regarding the way school districts allocate their funding. "Long story short, I will support this legislation to the extent of posting pro-bill signage in my yard, and on my vehicle, if I do think it will come to that," he said. "People are sick to death of the Central Appraisal Districts and their chokehold on property owners." Are you a Texas homeowner? I'd like to hear from you about your experience with property appraisals and rising property tax bills. Email me at
Chicago Tribune
16 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Embattled Kenwood shelter housing migrants and homeless Chicagoans to close in coming months
A Kenwood shelter housing both migrants and Chicagoans experiencing homelessness will close in the coming months following a divide amongst neighbors, according to an email update from state Sen. Robert Peters. Located at 4900 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, the shelter opened in summer 2023 to accommodate migrants sent to Chicago by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Its opening drew sharp pushback from residents concerned about how newcomers from crisis-affected regions would integrate into the neighborhood. Tensions deepened when the facility was later expanded to include homeless Chicagoans, part of the city and state's One System Initiative aimed at merging shelter services for both populations. Early months of combined migrant, homeless shelters in Chicago see success, structural challengesPeters said he was notified of the closure by city and Illinois Department of Human Services officials at 3:15 p.m. Friday. Those currently housed at the shelter will move to new facilities over the next three to six months, he said. Neither the city nor the state was immediately able to provide a comment Friday afternoon regarding the reason for the closure or the number of people affected. 'We've always believed that housing is a human right,' Peters said. 'But also, at the end of the day, what matters most is being transparent with everybody.' As tens of thousands of people arrived by bus over roughly two years, the city and state scrambled to open enough shelters to stave off a full-blown homelessness crisis in Chicago. The city and state were running 28 migrant-exclusive facilities at the peak of arrivals in January of last year, according to city census data. The idea of a combined system was championed by some who said it would spread out resources to a wider range of people. There are dozens of shelters in the new system. The closure announcement also comes as President Donald Trump has ramped up immigration enforcement in and around the city, targeting courts and offices where people are reporting for check-ins. Many of the migrants being housed by the city are from Venezuela, a country that Trump has repeatedly singled out in immigration policy.
CBS News
17 hours ago
- CBS News
Texas hemp businesses brace for ban as governor weighs THC bill
Businesses selling hemp-derived THC products in Texas are in limbo as Gov. Greg Abbott faces a Sunday deadline to sign Senate Bill 3, which would ban most THC-infused consumables statewide. The bill, passed by the Legislature in May, would outlaw products containing Delta-8, Delta-9, and other hemp-derived cannabinoids, with exceptions only for CBD and CBG isolates 1. $8 billion industry at risk Over the past few years, the hemp industry has grown into an $8 billion market in Texas, supporting more than 53,000 jobs and generating over $267 million in tax revenue, according to the Texas Hemp Business Council 1. Candice Stinnett, owner of Emerald Organics in Fort Worth and a board member of the Texas Hemp Coalition, said the bill threatens the survival of thousands of small businesses like hers. Business owners push for regulation "We worked tirelessly since February, going down to the Capitol, having meetings with dozens of lawmakers and the speaker's office to come up with a regulation to just tighten up this industry," Stinnett said. She emphasized that the coalition supports regulation-not prohibition. "We do agree it needs to be an adult-use market. We do agree there should be milligram caps on products and no synthetic or converted cannabinoids-just pure, plant-derived cannabinoids," she said. SB 3 passes despite opposition Despite those efforts, SB 3 passed both chambers of the Legislature. Stinnett said the outcome was a major disappointment. Roughly 90% of the products sold at Emerald Organics would be banned under the bill. In response, Stinnett set up an information booth in her store where customers can sign a petition and write letters to the governor. Thousands of businesses affected According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, more than 8,600 businesses in Texas sell hemp products. The Texas Hemp Business Council estimates SB 3 could eliminate $4.3 billion in annual revenue and more than 50,000 jobs 1. Stinnett said she's unsure whether her business can survive if the bill becomes law. "Myself and the coalition, we're really hoping that Governor Abbott looks at those regulations and comes to, I guess, an agreement," she said.
