87th Texas Legislature

The 87th Texas Legislature has convened and lawmakers have already filed dozens of bills relating to cannabis! Follow this page to track the progress of cannabis legislation and take action to ensure that your representative and senator know about your support for reform! (Bookmark for future use through the session!)

Now is an ideal time to take action to ensure that your representative and senator know about your support for reform! ​

Medical Cannabis​ | Penalty Reduction​ | Legalization​

Submit your testimony to be included in hearing binders.

Our goals for the 87th Texas Legislature are as follows: 

• Reduce/remove penalties for low level cannabis possession. This includes enacting provisions to eliminate the threat of arrest, loss of drivers license, criminal record, and discrimination.
  
• Reduce/remove the excessively harsh penalties associated with the possession of cannabis concentrates.
  
• Improve the Texas Compassionate Use Program so that doctors can decide what conditions and symptoms could benefit from medical cannabis, removing the arbitrary THC cap, and solidifying patient protections.
  
• Creating a regulated retail cannabis market for adults 21 years of age and older which ensures a reasonable tax rate, embraces free market values, consumer protections, and does not arbitrarily limit licenses.
  
• Institute common sense policies on workplace drug testing since testing for THC is no longer feasible with a thriving Texas hemp market which allows 0.3% THC.
  
• Address the racial disparity in policing for cannabis offenses.
  
• Allow for expunction for all previous arrests and charges for cannabis.

• Remove penalties for paraphernalia.

Medical Cannabis Bills

HB 43 by Rep. Alex Dominguez – HB 43 would allow for doctors to decide which conditions and symptoms could benefit from medical cannabis and decide dosages, and would adjust the THC cap and licensing fees.

HB 94 by Rep. Ron Reynolds – HB 94 would expand the list of approved conditions/symptoms, remove the THC cap, allow more doctors to recommend medical cannabis, has a provision for home cultivation, and adjusts licensing fees.

HB 809 by Rep. Julie Johnson – HB 809 would make adjustments to the patient registry and adds PTSD as a qualifying condition.

HB 1001 by Rep. Eddie Lucio III – HB 1001 would add PTSD as a qualifying condition.

HB 1109 by Rep. Alex Dominguez – HB 1109 would establish a veteran centric research program regarding PTSD with a 5% THC cap.

HB 1233 by Rep. Jasmine Crockett  – HB 1233 would allow for doctors to decide which conditions and symptoms could benefit from low-THC cannabis.

HB 1535 by Rep. Stephanie Klick – HB 1535 would add Cancer, Chronic Pain, and PTSD for Veterans while allowing the Department of State Health Services to add new qualifying conditions through their administrative rule-making process. HB 1535 would also raise the THC cap to 5% and create “Institutional Review Boards” which will facilitate research and track the impact of medical cannabis on patients participating in the program.

HB 1982 by Rep. Leo Pacheco – HB 1982 would create a separate medical program which would allow only pharmacists to dispense the medicine.

HB 3137 by Rep. Lyle Larson – HB 3137 would create a medical cannabis research program.

SB 90 by Sen. José Menéndez – SB 90 would expand the list of approved conditions/symptoms, remove the THC cap, allow more doctors to recommend medical cannabis, has a provision for personal cultivation, and adjusts licensing fees.

SB 250 by Sen. Carol Alvarado – SB 250 would allow doctors to decide which conditions and symptoms could benefit from medical cannabis, institutes more parental protections, and make adjustments to the patient registry.

SB 327 by Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr.  – SB 327 would add PTSD as a qualifying condition.

SB 1440 by Sen. Donna Campbell  – Relating to the medical use of low-THC cannabis by veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder under the Texas Compassionate Use Act.

SB 2040 by Sen. José Menéndez – SB 2040 would create a medical cannabis research program  for use by patients with certain medical conditions and institutes protections for those patients.

Penalty Reduction Bills

HB 99 by Rep. Steve Toth – HB 99 would reduce penalties for possession of 2oz or less, disallows arrests, and prevents suspension of drivers license.

HB 169 by Rep. Senfronia Thompson – HB 169 would reduce penalties for possession of 2 ounces or less and 1 gram of concentrates.

HB 439 by Rep. Terry Canales – HB 439 would reduce multiple offenses related to the possession or delivery of cannabis and cannabis concentrates.

HB 441 by Rep. Erin Zwiener – HB 441 would reduce penalties for possession of 1 ounce or less to Class C while disallowing arrests and setting up an expunction process. It now heads to the Senate where the Lt Gov will assign it to a committee.

HB 498 by Rep. Gene Wu – HB 498 would reduce penalties for possession of 1 ounce or less to Class C and over 1 ounce to a class B.

HB 585 by Rep. Sheryl Cole – HB 585 would reduce the penalties associated with all levels of cannabis possession.

HB 616 by Rep. Harold Dutton, Jr. – HB 616 would reduce penalties for possession of 2 grams or less.

HB 1086 by Rep. Joe Moody  – HB 1086 would change penalty weights as well as reduce penalties for possession of cannabis.

HB 1609 by Rep. Jasmine Crockett – HB 1609 would reduce multiple penalties associated with possession of cannabis.

HB 1735 by Rep. Gene Wu – HB 1735 would reduce penalties having to do with felony level possession.

HB 1954 by Rep. Harold Dutton, Jr. – HB 1954 would reduce penalties having to do with felony level possession.

HB 2568 by Rep. Jasmine Crockett – HB 2568 would move THC from penalty group 2 to penalty group 2-B on the Texas Controlled Substances Act.

HB 2593 by Rep. Joe Moody – HB 2593 would move THC from penalty group 2 to penalty group 2-B on the Texas Controlled Substances Act.

HB 3169 by Rep. Jasmine Crockett – Relating to the substances listed in Penalty Group 2 under the Texas Controlled Substances Act.

HB 3170 by Rep. Jasmine Crockett – HB 3170 would allow for deferred adjudication community supervision for marijuana offenses.

HB 3772 by Rep. James White – HB 3772 would reduce penalties associated with the possession of cannabis flower and concentrates as well as paraphernalia while allowing for expunction of any arrest record.

SB 151 by Sen. Nathan Johnson – SB 151 would reduce penalties associated with the possession of cannabis flower and concentrates as well as paraphernalia while preventing driver’s license suspension.

SB 652 by Sen. Sarah Eckhardt – SB 652 would reduce multiple penalties associated with possession of cannabis.

SB 1175 by Sen. Nathan Johnson – SB 1175 would reduce multiple offenses related to the possession of cannabis concentrates.

Legalization Bills

HB 447 by Rep. Joe Moody – HB 447 would create a regulated cannabis market for those 21 years of age and older with a tax rate of 10%, provisions for personal cultivation, and explicitly disallows driving while under the influence of cannabis.

HB 3248 by Rep. Jessica González – HB 3248 would create a regulated cannabis market for those 21 years of age and older with a tax rate of 10%, explicitly disallows driving while under the influence of cannabis, and creates three new agencies.

HB 4089 by Rep. James Talarico – HB 4089 would create a regulated cannabis market for those that are 21 years of age and older with a tax rate of 10%, provisions for personal cultivation, and explicitly disallows driving while under the influence of cannabis.

SB 140 by Sen. Roland Gutierrez – SB 140 would create a regulated cannabis market for those 21 years of age and older with a tax rate of 10%, provisions for personal cultivation, and explicitly disallows driving while under the influence of cannabis, in addition to creating the Border Security Enhancement Fund. It also has a medical component which adds pain as a qualifying condition, adjusts the THC cap, and makes adjustments to the patient registry.

SB 269 by Sen. Royce West – SB 269 would create a regulated cannabis market for those 21 years of age and older with provisions for personal cultivation, and explicitly disallows driving while under the influence of cannabis.

SB 1345 by Sen. Sarah Eckhardt – SB 1345 would create a regulated cannabis market for those that are 21 years of age and older with provisions for personal cultivation and explicitly disallows driving while under the influence of cannabis.

Miscellaneous

HB 307 by Rep. Nicole Collier (Hemp Consumer Protection)
HB 307 would offer a defense to prosecution for customers believing they are purchasing hemp products.

HB 859 by Rep. Nicole Collier (Expungement)
Relating to the expunction of all records and files related to arrests for certain decriminalized misdemeanor offenses.

HB 1108 by Rep. Alex Dominguez (Licensing)
HB 1108 would prevent a previous possession charge from preventing a person from being a licensee or employed under TCUP.

HB 1178 by Rep. Jasmine Crockett (Paraphernalia)
HB 1178 would remove possession of paraphernalia from the criminal code.

HB 3149 by Rep. John Bucy (Drug Testing, Patient Protections)
HB 3149 would address the cessation of drug testing state employees (with the exception of those which require a Commercial Driver’s License) for THC since they have legal, over the counter access to non-intoxicating hemp products with 0.3% THC. HB 3149 would also strengthen patient protections regarding certain legal actions, CPS and denial of parental rights, seizure of property, and student protections from disciplinary actions related to their medical cannabis.

HB 3174 by Rep. Ray Lopez (LEO Employment)
HB 3174 would prevent law enforcement agencies of a municipality or county from adopting or enforcing a hiring policy provision which disqualifies peace officer position applicants because of prior marijuana use which occurred more than three years before the date of application.

HB 3948 by Rep. Tracy O. King (Hemp)
HB 3948 SB 1778 would establish a hemp research program, address consumable hemp products and cleans up some language in the statute.

HB 4307 by Rep. Eddie Lucio III (Health Insurance)
HB 4307 would create insurance coverage for low-THC cannabis under certain group benefit plans for governmental employees.

SB 1778 by Sen. Charles Perry (Hemp)
SB 1778 would establish a hemp research program, address consumable hemp products and cleans up some language in the statute.

Joint Resolutions

What is a Joint Resolution? A joint resolution is used legislative measure used to propose amendments to the Texas Constitution and requires a super majority in both chambers of the legislature to be adopted but does not require action by the governor. Before becoming effective, the provisions of joint resolutions proposing amendments to the Texas Constitution must be approved by the voters of Texas.

HJR 11 by Rep. Ron Reynolds (Constitutional Amendment: Medical Cannabis)
HJR 11 proposes a constitutional amendment to authorize and regulate the possession, cultivation, and sale of cannabis for medical use.

HJR 13 by Rep. Terry Canales (Constitutional Amendment: Legalization)
HJR 13 proposes a constitutional amendment to authorize and regulate the possession, cultivation, and sale of cannabis.

HJR 28 by Rep. Lyle Larson (Constitutional Amendment: Medical Cannabis)
HJR 28 proposes a constitutional amendment to authorize and regulate the possession, cultivation, and sale of cannabis for medical use.

SJR 16 by Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (Constitutional Amendment: Legalization)
SJR 16 proposes a constitutional amendment to authorize and regulate the possession, cultivation, and sale of cannabis.