New Texas Laws Targets Hemp THC Products and Gendered Restroom Bill

On August 15, Texas lawmakers started a second special session to review and come up with a resolution concerning the Hill Country flooding, THC products distribution and other relevant legislation.

“I know we always didn’t agree on every issue or between parties or within a party, but everyone always was respectful to the other members on the floor, and I’m proud of you,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told members of the senate as the session concluded.

According to The Dallas Morning, the 89th Second Called Session wrapped around 1 a.m. last Thursday, after addressing Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda.

The GOP-dominated Texas Senate celebrated the approval of a new congressional map. The redistricting plan supports the addition or solidification of at least five Republican-leaning districts, a move that could significantly impact Texas’s representation in Congress.

The Senate passed House Bill 7, relating to the prohibition of the manufacture and distribution of abortion pills within Texas, the law excludes medical emergencies, miscarriages, and ectopic pregnancies.

Senate Bill 8, introduces new requirements on restrooms and changing facilities used in public institutions. The law mandates that all government-owned facilities must designate restrooms and changing areas based strictly on individuals’ biological sex, as stated on their original birth certificate. Non-compliance carries significant financial penalties, with fines beginning at $25,000 per violation. 

Regarding Flood Safety, Senate Bill 1, titled the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act, requests youth camps to relocate cabins from floodplains, it also requires camp leaders to submit annual emergency plans in case of natural disaster in order to get licensed. 

One of the most contentious issues during the legislative session was whether to ban or regulate hemp-based THC products. Republican lawmakers largely favored regulation, aiming to establish clearer oversight for an industry that has expanded rapidly across Texas. According to The Dallas Morning News, “regulating the industry was one of Abbott’s highest priorities for lawmakers for both special sessions.”

Despite hours of negotiation, lawmakers failed to reach a consensus. “After long discussions last night between Governor Abbott, Speaker Dustin Burrows, and me on THC, and continued hours of discussion today, we were not able to come to a resolution,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wrote on X on Wednesday.

In response, Patrick urged legislators to develop a comprehensive regulatory system for intoxicating hemp-derived THC products, modeled after the state’s approach to alcohol regulation.

The proposed legislation would address a range of regulatory mechanisms: it seeks to oversee consumable hemp products and the cannabinoids derived from them, require occupational licenses and product registrations, impose administrative fees, and even establish criminal penalties for certain violations. The goal is to bring the hemp market under stricter control while allowing for its continued operation within a legal framework.

While lawmakers made progress on several key issues during the session, a number of Governor Abbott’s priorities remained unresolved. Among the items that failed to reach his desk before adjournment were a proposed ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying, expanded election reforms—including a measure to prohibit same-day voter registration—and various judicial administration bills.