House Advances Bipartisan Bill to Broaden Medical Marijuana Access in Texas

The Texas House gave initial approval to a bipartisan bill (House Bill 46) expanding the state’s medical marijuana program in a 118-16 vote. The bill is sponsored by Reps. Ken King (R) and Penny Morales Shaw (D) and now awaits a third reading before moving to the Senate.

The measure would:

• Expand product types to include patches, lotions, suppositories, inhalers, nebulizers, and vaping devices.
  
• Add qualifying conditions: chronic pain, glaucoma, TBI, spinal neuropathy, Crohn’s disease, degenerative disc disease, and terminal illnesses in hospice or palliative care.
  
• Authorize DSHS to expand the list of conditions further.
  
• Mandate DPS to issue 11 dispensary licenses across public health regions and permit satellite locations.

The bill also requires the Department of Public Safety to issue 11 dispensary licenses, one for each public health region, and permits satellite dispensary locations. Physicians would also need to report cannabis recommendations to the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, as reported by Marijuana Moment.

Currently, Texas only allows low-THC, non-smokable cannabis for patients with eight specific conditions under the 2015 Compassionate Use Act. Advocates like Heather Fazio of the Texas Cannabis Policy Center praised the legislation as a long-overdue improvement to an overly restrictive program. 

While medical expansion advances, the Senate passed a separate bill to prevent cities from placing decriminalization measures on local ballots, a response to reforms already adopted in places like Austin and San Marcos. Governor Greg Abbott opposes local cannabis measures, warning they create “chaos.” Meanwhile, the Senate approved a bill that could effectively end the state’s hemp industry, and Rep. Joe Moody has reintroduced a statewide decriminalization proposal. The House also passed two bills (House Bill 4014 and House Bill 4813) to expedite access to psychedelic therapy if federally approved.