Texas state Senate voted unanimously in favor of a bill to legalize hemp and hemp-derived extracts like CBD, as long as they contain no more than 0.3% THC, the psychoactive element in marijuana.
House lawmakers must now decide whether they agree with the Senate’s amendments. Then, the bill will go to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk to either sign or veto.
The bill, introduced by state Rep. Tracy King, would set up a federally approved program for Texas farmers to grow hemp as a crop, including procedures for sampling, inspection and testing. It would also expand the kind of hemp products that can be legally purchased in Texas to include any hemp or hemp-derived products, like CBD, containing less than 0.3 percent of THC.
The bill prohibits processing or manufacturing hemp products for smoking, and retailers selling CBD products for human consumption would have to be registered with the state.
