Latest news with #SenateBill3
Business Journals
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Journals
Texas THC ban bill could impact more than you think. Decision expected this weekend.
If the governor doesn't sign or veto Senate Bill 3 by Sunday, it becomes law. But experts say while unlikely, he could call for a special session.
CBS News
21 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Fort Worth shop owner fears closure as Gov. Greg Abbott weighs THC ban
Fort Worth shop owner says THC ban could shut down his business Fort Worth shop owner says THC ban could shut down his business Fort Worth shop owner says THC ban could shut down his business Alex Noriega, owner of Natural Buds in Fort Worth, says a proposed statewide ban on hemp-derived THC products could force him to shut down just nine months after opening. THC ban threatens small shops Noriega, who uses THC to manage seizures, says the products have significantly improved his quality of life. "It used to be where I would have seizures on a weekly basis. Now I only have them every three to four months," he said. But with Senate Bill 3 awaiting action from Gov. Greg Abbott, Noriega says the uncertainty is taking a toll. "As Sunday approaches, the 22nd, when the governor has to sign this by, I've been getting less sleep every night," he said. 90% of inventory at risk Noriega estimates that 90% of the products he sells contain THC and would be banned under the bill. "I sold the family house to open this place, so everything's on the line," he said. "Eliminating THC would put us completely out of business." Customers worry about safety Customers like Devonrick Jefferson say a ban could push people toward unregulated alternatives. "I feel safe coming to the THC stores versus buying on the street," he said. "Here, it feels regulated. I know what I'm putting in my body." Governor silent as deadline nears Senate Bill 3 would ban products containing Delta-8, Delta-9, and THC-infused beverages, while still allowing non-intoxicating cannabinoids like CBD. The bill has sparked backlash from business owners and advocates, who say it could eliminate $4.3 billion in annual revenue and 53,000 jobs statewide 1. Gov. Abbott has not publicly stated whether he will sign or veto the bill. If he takes no action by Sunday, it will become law without his signature.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to sign bills that would save homeowners thousands of dollars
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to sign several bills into law on Monday Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to sign several bills into law on Monday Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to sign several bills into law on Monday Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will travel to North Texas on Monday to sign two bills into law that could save homeowners thousands. The two bills he is signing will lower property tax burdens in fast-growing areas like Denton County, where he will be signing the bills. Senate Bill 4 will raise the overall homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000. Senate Bill 23 will raise the exemption to $200,000 for homeowners who are disabled or 65 years of age or older. Signing the bills will put constitutional amendments on the ballot for voters in November, so it will be up to Texans to get the tax break across the finish line. While Monday's focus is on property tax relief, Abbott is facing mounting pressure to make a decision on Senate Bill 3, a hot-button piece of legislation that could drastically impact Texas' hemp industry. The governor has less than a week until the ban on THC automatically becomes a law without his signature. If it goes into effect, most provisions would take effect on Sept. 1. Abbott has until June 22 to make a decision.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Weak GOP Funds DEI, Ignores Tax Relief: Rep. Brian Harrison Exposes Session Flop
State Rep. Brian Harrison didn't mince words when reflecting on the 89th Texas legislative session: 'Just about everything' went wrong. In a blistering post-session assessment with The Dallas Express, the Waxahachie Republican said the session marked a dramatic failure of conservative governance, charging that GOP leadership enabled the growth of government, increased spending, and squandered a historic opportunity to cut property taxes. 'The Texas government has been too weak, too liberal, for too long,' Harrison said. 'We trampled liberty on the way to becoming a progressive liberal nanny state.' For Harrison, who served in the first Trump administration and has allied with Texas' medical freedom and anti-DEI movements, the clearest symbol of misplaced priorities came in the form of a pop icon. 'We spent more time deliberating and voting on Beyoncé than we did property tax elimination,' he said. 'And as crazy as that sounds, it is literally true.' The failure to deliver sweeping property tax relief dominated much of Harrison's critique. Despite a $24 billion surplus, he said the legislature failed to give Texans the relief they demanded. 'If we had one job this session, it was to get the crushing burden of property taxes under control,' Harrison said. 'Instead, we spent it on liberal pet projects.' One of the most prominent examples he cited was a bill to allocate $1.5 billion in taxpayer money to Hollywood production incentives, a dramatic increase from the $200 million spent last session. 'That's Texans going to work so government can steal their wages to give it to rich Hollywood liberals,' Harrison said. 'It's immoral. It's unethical.' Harrison also condemned the passage of Senate Bill 3, which bans certain hemp-derived products, calling it 'destructive of liberty.' He said the bill would push consumers into dangerous black markets and reverse the loosened restrictions created under President Trump in 2018. 'I think I'm the only member of the Legislature who asked the governor to veto SB3,' he said. He also singled out the legislature's near-total ban on flavored vaping products, despite Trump's support for vaping as a harm-reduction alternative to cigarettes. 'The Texas House is going directly against Trump policy on both counts,' he said. The legislature's fiscal policy also drew fire from Harrison, who called the state's budget—SB1—'the most reckless, bloated, liberal progressive budget in the history of Texas.' He pointed out that it represented a 42% increase in state funds over the past two budget cycles. 'There is no defense—none—for any Republican who voted for that,' he said. 'Every time the government increases spending, it is stealing from Texans. That makes them less free.' Harrison warned that this session expanded the government's cultural influence as well, particularly through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and university funding. 'Texas has not banned DEI in any way, shape, or form,' he said. 'Our public universities are still allowed to engage in DEI in their classrooms.' He added that the state government, including agencies like TxDOT, continues to award contracts based on DEI criteria. 'I had a state agency admit in a hearing that they've awarded over $1 billion in DEI-based contracts,' he said. On higher education, Harrison said lawmakers had doubled down on 'transgender indoctrination,' funding universities that offer LGBTQ studies and programming. 'Every public university in Texas has LGBTQ coursework,' he said. 'Guess what funded that? SB1. Everybody who voted for SB1 voted for DEI and transgender indoctrination.' Harrison also expressed frustration that the legislature failed to advance HB 3175, which would have made ivermectin available over the counter. 'Making medicines like ivermectin available should have been the least controversial thing we did down here,' he said, adding that the session signaled a lack of seriousness on medical freedom. He blamed House leadership—specifically then-Calendar Committee Chairman (now Speaker) Dustin Burrows—for blocking legislation that would have ended COVID-19 vaccine mandates for students in the last session and this session. 'We could have done that two years ago,' Harrison said. When asked where to place blame, Harrison was blunt: 'The people responsible for the bad legislation in Austin are Republicans. Completely. Texans are starving for bold, unapologetic, conservative leadership. We don't have that right now.' Still, Harrison acknowledged that a few positive outcomes emerged. He praised HB 3441, authored by Rep. Shelley Luther, which allows Texans to sue vaccine manufacturers that advertise in the state if someone is injured. But even that, he said, was a partial correction of previous government overreach. 'Almost all of the good things fall into one of three categories: they're either too weak, undo a previous bad, or are years overdue,' he said. Harrison also criticized the education savings account (ESA) program passed this session as misleading. While he voted for it, he emphasized that it would serve only about 1% of Texas students. 'This is not universal school choice,' he said. 'And to get it passed, we had to give Democrats a billion-dollar payoff.' Could there be a special session with the type of 'bold' leadership he seeks? Harrison is not optimistic. 'To my knowledge, I'm the only legislator who has asked for a special session.' As the legislature adjourns, Harrison said his message to constituents is clear: 'The Texas government has lost its way. Top to bottom.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘100% of my products will be gone' local CBD and hemp store speaks out against Texas Senate Bill 3
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — Texas Senate Bill 3, the bill aiming to ban THC products statewide, is stirring up strong emotions on both sides of the debate. Opponents of the bill say this will have a negative impact, while supporters say this is necessary to protect our most vulnerable populations. 'It is a scourge upon our young people to hook them on drugs forever… This was not controversial for the legislature; they passed it overwhelmingly, and we have to ban it,' Lt. Governor Dan Patrick said. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is leading the charge, calling this bill a critical defense against what he describes as a public threat. He says the state of Texas has seen a drastic increase in the number of shops that sell these products. Texas THC ban: Lt. Gov. Patrick warns of youth health risks 'There are 8,000 or more smoke and vape shops that have opened in Texas in just the last 3-4 years,' Patrick said. Allen Kirk with Full Spectrum CBD says he disagrees with the legislature and finds this bill disheartening. 'San Angelo has blessed us with business, and we have helped a lot of people…and it is very disheartening that I have put blood, sweat and tears and now I'm going to be closed, because we have our legislature that does not understand the benefits of our products,' Kirk said. At Full Spectrum CBD, Kirk says he mainly serves people 35 years or older and a large population of veterans. Over the years, he has created a business that has had people wanting to come back. He says he is saddened by the thought of no longer being available to offer his customers reliable products. Gov. Abbott declines to say if he will sign THC ban 'What I'm really sad about is my clients. My older people are not going to get the stuff they need… the veterans who are just getting shut out again and not getting the proper help they need as far as PTSD and their pains…' Kirk said. If Senate Bill 3 passes, Kirk says his entire livelihood would be gone. 'When you grow hemp and you extract CBD, you are always going to have a trace amount of THC in it; you cannot grow it without THC. This is a total ban on THC, which basically means 100% of my products will be gone…there is not one product in here that I will be able to sell if this goes through,' Kirk said. He says Lt. Gov. Patrick was set on this path to ban THC because of people who did not follow the law and managed to sell products that contain THC above the legal limit. His store, Full Spectrum CBD, is not the kind of store Lt. Gov. Patrick should be after. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick holds press conference following legislative session 'The unfortunate part about it is that in the middle of your agenda of getting rid of bad actors…I'm collateral damage,' Kirk said. Currently this bill awaits action from Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Until a decision is made, supporters and opponents of the bill are left to wonder what the future holds for legal hemp and CBD businesses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
