- Governor Greg Abbott has vetoed Senate Bill 3, which would have banned hemp-based THC products in Texas
- Abbott has called a special session to begin on July 21 that will include regulating hemp-based THC products and other issues in bills that were vetoed
- There is widespread speculation that the special session will also include congressional redistricting
Governor Greg Abbott vetoed two dozen bills Sunday night – most notably Senate Bill 3, the controversial ban on hemp-based THC products. Abbott also announced that he would be calling lawmakers back for a special session to begin on July 21.
Abbott explained his rationale behind vetoing Senate Bill 3 in a four-page veto statement in which he said that the bill “would never go into effect due to valid constitutional challenges.” The Governor cited litigation over a similar bill in Arkansas, in which the Plaintiffs argued that Arkansas’ law was preempted by the 2018 Farm Bill passed by Congress, which legalized hemp products. Concerns were also raised that the wide-ranging ban included in Senate Bill 3 could also constitute an unconstitutional taking of private property.
Instead of an outright ban on hemp-based THC products, as was proposed in Senate Bill 3, Abbott proposed a regulatory framework for these products similar to the way the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission regulates alcohol in Texas.
This regulatory framework for hemp-based THC products is one of the issues that Abbott has said will be considered by lawmakers when they reconvene for a special session to begin on July 21. Other issues that Abbott has said will be placed on the special session agenda include an omnibus courts bill, affirmative defenses to prosecution for victims of human trafficking, and real estate deed fraud.
These issues were the subject of bills that Abbott vetoed due to provisions in the bills that he found objectionable.
Although Abbott’s announcement regarding the upcoming special session was silent on the issue of congressional redistricting, there is widespread speculation that lawmakers will also consider redrawing Texas’ congressional districts to increase the likelihood that Republicans will pick up additional seats in Texas. Abbott has also publicly raised the possibility that legislation to ban taxpayer-funded lobbying could be included on a special session agenda.
Abbott’s announcement regarding the upcoming special session can be viewed here. A list of bills vetoed by Abbott can be viewed here.
