Latest news with #TCUP
Associated Press
29-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Texans Deserve Choice, Not a Monopoly: Texas Hemp Business Council Urges Lawmakers to Defeat SB 5
AUSTIN, Texas, July 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) today issued the following statement: 'As SB 5 heads to the Senate floor during the special session of the 89th Texas Legislature, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Senators Charles Perry and Roland Gutierrez are actively looking to gift-wrap the entire cannabis market to a few, select state-licensed marijuana companies, one of which already controls over 75% of the market. 'Their claim that the restrictive Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) can replace hemp-derived cannabinoids is misleading and dangerous. 'TCUP currently serves just over 100,000 patients and requires registration, physician prescriptions, higher prices and fewer options. While HB 46 was an attempt to improve the program, it does little to expand real access to a restrictive and expensive TCUP program that serves an entirely different purpose than hemp. 'Meanwhile, hemp is legal and regulated under federal and state law and serves millions of adult consumers and veterans who rely on affordable, accessible alternatives for wellness, pain relief and more. 'SB 5 would destroy a $10 billion industry that supports over 53,000 jobs and eliminate economic opportunity for thousands of small business owners across the state. All being done under the false flag of 'safety,' while the real goal is market control by a politically connected few. This isn't about protecting public health, it's about protecting a monopoly. 'Governor Abbott's veto message was clear: regulate hemp responsibly, don't ban it. Texans deserve choice, not coercion. SB 5 is prohibition disguised as policy and lawmakers should reject it. Public opinion, economic data and common sense all point in the same direction: this is a manufactured crisis driven by special interests, not public demand. 'At a time when Texas faces real and pressing challenges like strengthening flood warning systems, redistricting and providing meaningful property tax relief, some Senate leaders are spending this special session pushing a hemp ban Texans clearly don't want. It's a clear example of misplaced priorities and misguided policies. 'That's why THBC and the vast majority of Texans strongly support a common-sense alternative that includes 21+ age limits, child-resistant packaging and setbacks from schools. It's the right path forward for public safety, economic freedom and the future of hemp in Texas.' About the Texas Hemp Business Council The Texas Hemp Business Council is an industry organization dedicated to promoting the hemp-based cannabinoid industry in Texas, while advocating for consumer safety, education and stakeholder engagement. More information is available at Media Contacts: Natalie Mu/George Medici PondelWilkinson 310.279.5980 [email protected] [email protected]
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texans Deserve Choice, Not a Monopoly: Texas Hemp Business Council Urges Lawmakers to Defeat SB 5
AUSTIN, Texas, July 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) today issued the following statement: "As SB 5 heads to the Senate floor during the special session of the 89th Texas Legislature, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Senators Charles Perry and Roland Gutierrez are actively looking to gift-wrap the entire cannabis market to a few, select state-licensed marijuana companies, one of which already controls over 75% of the market. "Their claim that the restrictive Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) can replace hemp-derived cannabinoids is misleading and dangerous. "TCUP currently serves just over 100,000 patients and requires registration, physician prescriptions, higher prices and fewer options. While HB 46 was an attempt to improve the program, it does little to expand real access to a restrictive and expensive TCUP program that serves an entirely different purpose than hemp. "Meanwhile, hemp is legal and regulated under federal and state law and serves millions of adult consumers and veterans who rely on affordable, accessible alternatives for wellness, pain relief and more. "SB 5 would destroy a $10 billion industry that supports over 53,000 jobs and eliminate economic opportunity for thousands of small business owners across the state. All being done under the false flag of 'safety,' while the real goal is market control by a politically connected few. This isn't about protecting public health, it's about protecting a monopoly. 'Governor Abbott's veto message was clear: regulate hemp responsibly, don't ban it. Texans deserve choice, not coercion. SB 5 is prohibition disguised as policy and lawmakers should reject it. Public opinion, economic data and common sense all point in the same direction: this is a manufactured crisis driven by special interests, not public demand. "At a time when Texas faces real and pressing challenges like strengthening flood warning systems, redistricting and providing meaningful property tax relief, some Senate leaders are spending this special session pushing a hemp ban Texans clearly don't want. It's a clear example of misplaced priorities and misguided policies. 'That's why THBC and the vast majority of Texans strongly support a common-sense alternative that includes 21+ age limits, child-resistant packaging and setbacks from schools. It's the right path forward for public safety, economic freedom and the future of hemp in Texas.' About the Texas Hemp Business Council The Texas Hemp Business Council is an industry organization dedicated to promoting the hemp-based cannabinoid industry in Texas, while advocating for consumer safety, education and stakeholder engagement. More information is available at Media Contacts: Natalie Mu/George MediciPondelWilkinson310.279.5980nmu@ in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texans Deserve Choice, Not a Monopoly: Texas Hemp Business Council Urges Lawmakers to Defeat SB 5
AUSTIN, Texas, July 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) today issued the following statement: "As SB 5 heads to the Senate floor during the special session of the 89th Texas Legislature, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Senators Charles Perry and Roland Gutierrez are actively looking to gift-wrap the entire cannabis market to a few, select state-licensed marijuana companies, one of which already controls over 75% of the market. "Their claim that the restrictive Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) can replace hemp-derived cannabinoids is misleading and dangerous. "TCUP currently serves just over 100,000 patients and requires registration, physician prescriptions, higher prices and fewer options. While HB 46 was an attempt to improve the program, it does little to expand real access to a restrictive and expensive TCUP program that serves an entirely different purpose than hemp. "Meanwhile, hemp is legal and regulated under federal and state law and serves millions of adult consumers and veterans who rely on affordable, accessible alternatives for wellness, pain relief and more. "SB 5 would destroy a $10 billion industry that supports over 53,000 jobs and eliminate economic opportunity for thousands of small business owners across the state. All being done under the false flag of 'safety,' while the real goal is market control by a politically connected few. This isn't about protecting public health, it's about protecting a monopoly. 'Governor Abbott's veto message was clear: regulate hemp responsibly, don't ban it. Texans deserve choice, not coercion. SB 5 is prohibition disguised as policy and lawmakers should reject it. Public opinion, economic data and common sense all point in the same direction: this is a manufactured crisis driven by special interests, not public demand. "At a time when Texas faces real and pressing challenges like strengthening flood warning systems, redistricting and providing meaningful property tax relief, some Senate leaders are spending this special session pushing a hemp ban Texans clearly don't want. It's a clear example of misplaced priorities and misguided policies. 'That's why THBC and the vast majority of Texans strongly support a common-sense alternative that includes 21+ age limits, child-resistant packaging and setbacks from schools. It's the right path forward for public safety, economic freedom and the future of hemp in Texas.' About the Texas Hemp Business Council The Texas Hemp Business Council is an industry organization dedicated to promoting the hemp-based cannabinoid industry in Texas, while advocating for consumer safety, education and stakeholder engagement. More information is available at Media Contacts: Natalie Mu/George MediciPondelWilkinson310.279.5980nmu@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas legislature moves to finalize bills in the final days of session
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Deadlines for passing bills on second and third readings have come and gone in the Texas Capitol, and now lawmakers turn their attention to the final steps of passing remaining bills in the final days of the session. At this point in the session, House bills amended by the Senate and Senate bills amended by the House are being returned to their originating chamber for final approval. The sponsor of the bill must tell each body if they concur with the changes made to their legislation. If not, the bill moves on to conference committee, like House Bill 3071 by State Rep. Charlie Geren, a Republican from Fort Worth. He got up to the front mic of the House chamber to talk about amendments made to his bill, which relates to the cancellation of certain solid waste disposal permits. 'They're not any good and I am requesting to go to conference,' Geren said to thunderous cheers in the chamber, a point of levity after long consecutive days and nights of debating and voting. When a conference committee request is approved there are five members selected, known as conferees, from each chamber, including the two bill sponsors. What has been described as a closed-door negotiation between the ten members is actually more like a negotiation between two people. Dennis Bonnen, the former Speaker of the House, said most of the time negotiations begin even before a conference committee is called. 'Your lead author in the House, your lead author in the Senate, they're already talking. They've been talking through the whole process,' Bonnen explained. In fact, the other conferees are more symbolic and only provide a signature once an agreement has been made between the bill authors. Mark Strama, a former state lawmaker, and Bonnen both agreed they forgot they were conferees on a conference committee until they were asked to sign on to the final language of the bill. For a bill to pass out of conference committee it needs three signatures of approval from each coalition of conferees. It then goes back to each chamber for final approval from the full body. A majority of conference committees work just like that, but there are instances where legislation is significant enough that all members of the conference committee are contributing to the solution. One prime example is the appropriations bill, which funds the state over a two-year period. 'They're bigger issues. They're more significant. There's more volume to be dealt with,' Bonnen explained. This session, Bonnen believes the state's Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) is one of those bills that will need all hands on deck. Negotiations between the Senate and House have been ongoing for the past couple of weeks as the legislature moved to ban all hemp-derived intoxicants. There is a push to expand the TCUP to allow more people to be eligible for the medical cannabis program, and make it easier for patients to get their prescription. Strama also pointed out that conference committees can be used to revive bills that died either on the chamber floor or in committees. For the most part, conference committees are deciding between the differences in a House-approved and Senate-approved bill. But there is a procedure where the committee conferees could go out of bounds to add in additional provisions from other bills. It's known as going 'out of bounds.' To do this, the conference committee would have to go to each floor and ask for a resolution to go out of bounds. A majority of both chambers would need to approve that resolution. 'When you're out of power, you're looking for ways to stretch a conference committee report to extend to something to one of your bills that failed,' Strama said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Legislature OKs expansion of medical marijuana program as THC ban heads to Abbott
After days of contentious back-and-forth between the two Texas legislative chambers, the Senate late Tuesday night approved an expansion to the state's medical marijuana program. House Bill 46, by Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, will expand the Texas Compassionate Use Program fourfold, upping the number of available dispensary licenses from the current three to 12 statewide. It passed the Senate unanimously after the House and Senate struck a deal to include chronic pain, terminal disease and hospice care as qualifying conditions for a cannabis prescription. The expanded medical program also adds aerosol cannabis products like vapes, along with patches and lotions. More: As Texas weighs banning consumable hemp containing THC, Austin shop sees 'stock buying' The deal marks a détente between the House and Senate on the subject as a sweeping ban on THC products is on its way to the governor's desk. The Senate had stripped House provisions for chronic pain as a qualifying condition for the Compassionate Use Program, drawing fierce blowback from House members who later pushed for the condition to be reinstated. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the Senate want to ban intoxicating hemp products — which have been legal in Texas since 2019 — through Senate Bill 3, which was passed by both chambers in recent weeks. The House's version of the proposal instead called for increased regulation of THC product sales, but the upper chamber's version of the bill won the day. It's not yet clear if Gov. Greg Abbott plans to sign the bill. In a news conference Wednesday, during which Patrick displayed an array of THC products and sharply criticized members of the media for coverage of the THC ban and resulting inter-chamber conflict, the bill's author praised the TCUP expansion, which he said will still serve those who use THC medicinally while curbing dangerous hemp products. 'We promised on the front end, when we get rid of the bad stuff, we'll find a way to thread the needle for those that have found benefit,' said Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. 'I think it's the relief we promised. … We're expanding the things that we believe are legitimate needs that can be met through a responsible delivery system.' This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Legislature OKs expansion of medical marijuana program, THC ban
