House lawmakers adjourned on Thursday without taking floor votes on several pending bills to amend state marijuana laws. Both HB 507 (decriminalization) and HB 557 (relating to industrial hemp) were placed on the House calendar, but were never called for a vote.
House Bill 557 had previously passed unanimously out of the Agriculture and Livestock Committee, while HB 507 had passed 4 to 2 out of the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.
House Bill 2165, which sought to strike marijuana from the state criminal code, was also placed on the House calendar, but never acted upon. Members of the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee had previously voted 5-2 in favor of the measure.
Comprehensive legislation to legalize the possession and cultivation of medical marijuana, HB 3785 did not favorably make it out of the House Public Health Committee.
Texas lawmakers have never favorably moved comprehensive proposals such as these forward — especially HB 2165, which was the most comprehensive and full repeal of marijuana prohibition in the country. NORML would like to thank the thousands of you who sent over 10,800 letters to your House members this session urging common sense marijuana law reform. NORML would also like to thank the good work of our state affiliates in their legislative efforts.
A bill to permit the possession of cannabis high in CBD content (SB 339) remains pending but is written in such a way that will likely prevent the measure from having tangible effect. Texas NORML has an alert about the bill here and a call for action. Additional information about this year’s legislative session to date is available from Texas NORML here.
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws – Advocacy Campaigns
