Latest news with #TexasHempBusinessCouncil
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas THC ban: Advocates seeking SB 3 veto to hold Monday press conference in Austin
The Brief A coalition is urging Governor Greg Abbott to veto SB 3, a bill that would ban legal THC products in Texas. Supporters of the hemp industry plan to deliver over 100,000 petition signatures and thousands of letters to the Governor's office on Monday. Opponents of the ban argue it would dismantle a $4.3 billion industry, risk 53,000 jobs, and potentially lead to an influx of unregulated products. AUSTIN - A coalition of Texans concerned about the looming ban on THC products is set for a press conference in Austin on Monday. They say over 100,000 petition signatures and thousands of letters are expected to be delivered to Gov. Greg Abbott's office in relation to their plea. According to the Friday press release from Texas Hemp Business Council, those expected to appear at the conference include farmers, veterans, small business owners and hemp advocates. They plan to speak out against SB 3, which would put an end to legal THC consumables within the state. The coalition plans to meet at the Texas Capitol at 2 p.m. Monday in hopes of convincing Abbott to veto the bill, which has been passed by both the House and Senate. According to their press release, they are concerned about the dismantling of a $4.3 billion industry which they say supports 53,000 jobs, as well as the potential to "open the floodgates" to unregulated, unsafe products in the vacuum created by the legislation. What they're saying The council's press release reads in part: "The Texas Hemp Business Council and its supporters are calling on Governor Abbott to veto SB 3 and stand with the hundreds of thousands of Texans, including small business owners, workers, consumers and veterans, who depend on this industry for jobs, economic opportunity and the freedom to choose hemp-derived products." SB 3 has been championed through the legislative session by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has called the consumable products "poison." Patrick has come under fire by small business owners, who claim he "blatantly lied" about the contents of consumable THC products. The other side Small business owners have been among the front runners of those in opposition of the bill. They say the industry is made up of over 8,000 businesses in the state, all of which would potentially be dismantled if the bill were signed into law. Alongside small businesses are Texas veterans. They say THC has been a positive alternative to more addictive and potentially harmful substances like alcohol, opiates and prescription pills, and worry about those suffering from PTSD and other mental and physical maladies who might fall back into destructive habits if the substance is banned. The backstory The THC products being sold by businesses in Texas were legalized via an accidental loophole created in 2019, when Texas passed legislation expanding the hemp industry. Farmers worry that closing off that loophole will be disastrous for their profits and employees, which have come to rely heavily on the booming industry over the past six years. While SB 3 would all but ban THC, there is still one possible, albeit narrow, legal option for those who rely on the substance. The Texas Compassionate Use Program, or TCUP, has been in place since 2015, allowing for medical marijuana use by a very select few who meet the requirements. This session, HB 46 had intended to expand on the parameters in TCUP. Included in the House's proposed expansion were honorably discharged veterans who would benefit from use, those experiencing chronic pain, glaucoma, traumatic brain injury, spinal neuropathy, Crohn's disease or other inflammatory bowel diseases, degenerative disc disease and patients with a terminal illness or condition for which a patient is receiving hospice of palliative care. On Saturday, Texas Representatives took to social media, rallying against a Senate amendment to the bill, which would have cut chronic pain, TBI and other conditions from those included in the new parameters. It also dramatically cut the number of new licenses to be issued. The House members on X were upset about the changes, saying many had approved of SB 3 under the condition that TCUP would be expanded. Sunday, Patrick posted on X that he and Rep. Tim Oliverson (R-Cypress) came to an agreement on the legislation. What's next Abbott has declined to comment on whether he will sign SB 3 into law. The legislation has been sent to his desk, and while the governor has been vocal about bills he intends to sign, the THC ban has not been mentioned in the wake of pressure from opposing sides. The governor has three choices before him. He can either sign the bill into law, veto the legislation, or allow it to sit on his desk for 10 days, at which point it will pass without his direct approval and take effect on Sept. 1. The Source Information in this article comes from the Texas Hemp Business Council and previous FOX 7 reporting.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Hemp Industry Urges Governor Abbott to Veto SB 3 in Emergency Press Conference
Farmers, Veterans, Small Business Owners and Hemp Advocates to Speak Out Against Bill's Threat to Jobs, Economic Growth and Freedom of Choice Over 100,000 Petition Signatures and Thousands of Handwritten Letters Expected to be Delivered to Governor's Office AUSTIN, Texas, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHAT: A coalition of concerned Texans will host a press conference to address Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), legislation that dismantles the legal hemp industry and ignores the voices of small businesses, farmers, veterans and consumers across the state who rely on hemp-derived products for their livelihoods and general well-being. WHO: Industry leaders, farmers, small business owners, veterans and consumer advocates will come together to voice their concerns about the bill's impact on jobs, agriculture and access to legal hemp-derived products. WHEN: Monday, June 2 at 11 a.m. CST WHERE: Texas Capitol House Press Conference Room 2W.61100 Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701 WHY: The Texas hemp industry is responding to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick's ongoing false and inflammatory rhetoric, including his recent claim that hemp businesses 'want to kill your kids.' This kind of fearmongering vilifies law-abiding Texas farmers, veterans and small business owners and distracts from the real public health risks at hand. SB 3, passed by the Texas House, bans hemp-derived products without establishing a regulatory alternative. If signed into law, the bill will not only dismantle a $4.3 billion industry supporting over 53,000 jobs, but will also open the floodgates to unregulated, unsafe products in Texas. The Texas Hemp Business Council and its supporters are calling on Governor Abbott to veto SB 3 and stand with the hundreds of thousands of Texans, including small business owners, workers, consumers and veterans, who depend on this industry for jobs, economic opportunity and the freedom to choose hemp-derived products. VISUALS: Coalition of farmers, veterans, business owners and industry leaders. Boxes of handwritten letters to be delivered to the governor's office. Petition signage. Veterans sharing personal stories. 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 nmu@ in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Hemp Industry Urges Governor Abbott to Veto SB 3 in Emergency Press Conference
Farmers, Veterans, Small Business Owners and Hemp Advocates to Speak Out Against Bill's Threat to Jobs, Economic Growth and Freedom of Choice Over 100,000 Petition Signatures and Thousands of Handwritten Letters Expected to be Delivered to Governor's Office AUSTIN, Texas, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHAT: A coalition of concerned Texans will host a press conference to address Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), legislation that dismantles the legal hemp industry and ignores the voices of small businesses, farmers, veterans and consumers across the state who rely on hemp-derived products for their livelihoods and general well-being. WHO: Industry leaders, farmers, small business owners, veterans and consumer advocates will come together to voice their concerns about the bill's impact on jobs, agriculture and access to legal hemp-derived products. WHEN: Monday, June 2 at 11 a.m. CST WHERE: Texas Capitol House Press Conference Room 2W.61100 Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701 WHY: The Texas hemp industry is responding to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick's ongoing false and inflammatory rhetoric, including his recent claim that hemp businesses 'want to kill your kids.' This kind of fearmongering vilifies law-abiding Texas farmers, veterans and small business owners and distracts from the real public health risks at hand. SB 3, passed by the Texas House, bans hemp-derived products without establishing a regulatory alternative. If signed into law, the bill will not only dismantle a $4.3 billion industry supporting over 53,000 jobs, but will also open the floodgates to unregulated, unsafe products in Texas. The Texas Hemp Business Council and its supporters are calling on Governor Abbott to veto SB 3 and stand with the hundreds of thousands of Texans, including small business owners, workers, consumers and veterans, who depend on this industry for jobs, economic opportunity and the freedom to choose hemp-derived products. VISUALS: Coalition of farmers, veterans, business owners and industry leaders. Boxes of handwritten letters to be delivered to the governor's office. Petition signage. Veterans sharing personal stories. 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 nmu@ 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
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas lawmakers vote to gut booming hemp industry, sparking backlash
Texas is on the verge of banning nearly all intoxicating hemp products after the Republican-controlled state Senate and House of Representatives passed a bill to outlaw the sale and possession of THC-infused hemp consumables, including edibles, oils and vapes. The move threatens to devastate the state's $4 billion hemp industry, which includes over 8,000 businesses and tens of thousands of workers – although industry leaders have vowed to mount legal challenges should Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sign it into law. As of now, Abbott has not publicly endorsed or opposed the proposed ban, but the Texas Hemp Business Council have called for him not to sign it. Texas Ag Sues Dallas For Decriminalizing Marijuana "We urge Governor Abbott to reject CSSB 3 and protect the tens of thousands of hardworking Texans, including veterans like Dave Walden, who rely on hemp-derived cannabinoids for their wellness," the council said following Wednesday's vote. The state House voted to ban almost all hemp products Wednesday in a 95-44 vote, a stunning reversal after it previously advanced legislation that sought to regulate the products rather than ban them. Read On The Fox Business App The state Senate passed the bill, (SB 3), in March with a 24–7 vote. The bill is a top priority for Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick who has described the products a "major public health threat," particularly to children. "I've never been more passionate about anything," Patrick said in a video posted to social media earlier this week. He threatened to call legislators back to the Capitol for a special session if they did not approve of the ban. "If we leave Austin this session and we don't ban these products for the next two to three years, we're going to see lives destroyed," Patrick said. Federal Judge Green Lights New York Marijuana Licensing Despite 'Disaster' Legal Cannabis Market Rollout He said the products are highly potent and can be easily accessed by minors. Just one House Republican, Rep. Brian Harrison, voted against the proposal. "I believe SB3 unnecessarily grows government, restricts the freedom of adults, and may have serious and harmful unintended consequences such as shuttering thousands of small businesses and pushing adults, who want or rely on hemp products, to more addictive and deadly pharmaceuticals or to the black market," Harrison wrote on X. "SB3 exceeds the proper role of government and may ban many products that President Trump legalized in 2018." Critics argue the bill is a political power play that will destroy small businesses and increase criminal penalties beyond those for marijuana. Lukas Gilkey, the chief executive of Hometown Hero, a manufacturer of hemp-derived products, said he plans on following a lawsuit. "Immediately, we are going to be prepping for a lawsuit. Texas Hemp Business Council has resources allocated for this specific purpose," Gilkey said in post on X. The House made some changes to the Senate version, so the bill must return to the Senate for final approval unless the House accepts the Senate's original version entirely. Only after that will it go to Governor Greg Abbott for signature or veto. Under Senate bill, the penalties for possessing banned hemp products would be more severe than for marijuana possession. For instance, possession of non-compliant hemp products would be punishable by up to one year in jail. In comparison, marijuana possession of under 2 ounces is currently a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in article source: Texas lawmakers vote to gut booming hemp industry, sparking backlash
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Statement from the Texas Hemp Business Council on Passage of CSSB 3
AUSTIN, Texas, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 'We are deeply disappointed by the Texas House's passage of CSSB 3, a bill that dismantles the legal hemp industry and ignores the voices of small businesses, farmers, veterans and consumers across the state who rely on hemp-derived products for their livelihoods and well-being. 'Among the many speaking out against CSSB 3 is Dave Walden, a combat veteran of Iraq and incoming state commander of the Texas VFW representing 60,000 veterans, who said, 'If Texas trusted us with sophisticated weapons systems worth billions of dollars to defend America's freedoms abroad, shouldn't lawmakers trust us to make responsible choices about our own healthcare at home? 'Veterans deserve the freedom to choose what supports our health and well-being.' 'Despite overwhelming testimony and clear data demonstrating the safety and economic value of federally legal hemp-derived cannabinoids, lawmakers have chosen a path that eliminates an entire sector of our economy, one that generates $4.3 billion in retail sales, 53,300 jobs and $268 million in tax revenue. 'Texas already has strong hemp regulations under HB 1325. Sensible amendments, such as restricting sales to those 21 and older, requiring child-resistant packaging and establishing setbacks from schools, would further strengthen these safeguards. 'We urge Governor Abbott to reject CSSB 3 and protect the tens of thousands of hardworking Texans, including veterans like Dave Walden, who rely on hemp-derived cannabinoids for their wellness. The hemp industry will continue to fight for smart, sensible policies that preserve public health, foster economic growth and preserve the freedom of choice for Texas consumers.' 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 nmu@ gmedici@ 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
