Texas legislation: THC restrictions pass House; tentative deal reached on school funding

Texas legislature on school funding and THC ban

Texas lawmakers made progress on several bills Wednesday, including one regarding public school funding.

AUSTIN - Texas lawmakers made progress on several bills Wednesday, including one regarding public school funding.

More discussion remains before those bills are passed. As the end of the legislative session approaches, Texas lawmakers are working to get multiple key pieces of legislation passed.

Senate Bill 3: THC Ban

The Senate’s tougher THC bill, SB 3, which initially equated to a total ban on THC products, passed out of the House just before 10 p.m. Wednesday for its third reading before the House.

The Senate's passing came after several hours of discussion, in which several representatives voiced opposition to the bill, citing the use of THC by veterans with PTSD and other ailments.

The Senate adopted amendments to the bill before passage. The bill now bans vape products, restricts hemp flower to 0.3% total THC, and regulates all other THC products.

This bill is a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who claims that CBD stores and vape shops are selling higher concentrations of THC than the legal consumable limit.

After the chambers brokered a deal earlier in the day, the House took up the bill Wednesday night. At the time of reporting, the bill was still being actively discussed.

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The differences in the bills could lead to a clash between leaders in the House and Senate.

What they're saying:

"I want people to have access to medications to help them when they have medical conditions, that those medications can be a benefit," said Rep. Tom Oliverson (R-Cypress) "What we're doing here is correcting a problem that we created in 2019 where we essentially created a pathway by which people could sell drugs."

House Bill 2: Public School Funding

On Wednesday, it was announced that a tentative deal was struck regarding HB 2, known as the public school funding bill.

The compromise between the House and Senate includes the Senate’s proposed $55 per student increase to the basic allotment, compared to the House’s original allotment of $350.

The compromise also decreases the House's original plan to increase teacher pay from $4.4 billion to $4.2 billion.

However, it adds $500,000 for fixed costs, bringing the total amount to $8.5 billion.

Some of the issues were first raised during a hearing over the Senate’s plan last week, when some district leaders suggested a higher per-student allotment, giving schools more flexibility.

The bill is expected to be taken up on the Senate floor Thursday.

What they're saying:

West Hardin CISD Superintendent Donald Heseman spoke on the bill.

"If you picture every ISD as a boat, I think Barbers Hill might be a cruise ship and we are a johnboat. Paint Creek might be a kayak, but we all have leaks. We all have leaks. In doing the basic allotment, we can fill those holes as needed.

What's next:

More is to come tomorrow, and the legislative session ends June 2.

The Source: Information in this article came from coverage of a Texas Senate proceeding.

Austin News