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Bill that would save THC retailers from total ban advances in Texas House panel

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Bill that would save THC retailers from total ban advances in Texas House panel


AUSTIN _ Legislation that could save the state’s consumable hemp market from a total ban – while reducing it to edibles and non-synthetic, smokable low-dose flower buds, grown only in Texas – passed unanimously in a Texas House committee late Wednesday.

Counties could opt out and elect to go entirely “dry” with no hemp sales at all through elections similar to those allowed for alcohol sales, and the entire hemp program would be moved from state health officials’ purview and under the direction of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

Even with local option, however, the plan is in direct opposition to demands by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and a vast majority of the Texas Senate that the state enact a total ban on gummies, vapes, drinks and other retail products made with hemp-derived synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol — or THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

The products have proliferated through more than 8,500 license holders throughout the state since they became legal through a loophole in a 2019 farm bill.

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But while Patrick visits smoke shops hoping to find underage customers and vowing to accept nothing less than Senate Bill 3’s ban on the retail consumable hemp market in its original form, the bipartisan House State Affairs Committee didn’t hesitate to rewrite the legislation before sending it to the House floor on a 15-0 vote.

The new legislation, sponsored by House State Affairs Chairman Ken King, R-Canadian, comes three weeks after veterans, police, doctors, pediatricians, parents, scientists, and business owners testified past 3 a.m. at a contentious House hearing over the merits and risks of allowing the $8 billion industry to continue.

The House version

The House version of the bill could still wipe out half of the value of products on the market today. But it stops short of killing the industry altogether, allowing hemp specialty stores but banning the products from being sold in gas stations and vape shops. The bill bans all forms of smokable hemp except low-dose hemp flower – not high enough to be psychoactive – that’s grown naturally in Texas. It also bans hemp vapes, including those made with THCA and other derivatives.

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The stores may sell tinctures and edibles, including gummies and drinks. The bill bans sales to customers under 21, requires child-resistant packaging, prohibits packaging that markets to kids, and includes other testing and regulatory requirements.

Taxes gathered on the products would be divided like this: Half to the TABC, one-quarter to accredited crime labs and the last quarter to opioid narcotic response services by law enforcement.

The Senate version

The Senate passed SB 3 as a total ban in early March on a 24-7 vote, one day after a video surfaced of Patrick going into a THC shop near a middle school in South Austin — the latest in a growing series of personal investigations the powerful lieutenant governor is doing this session. A shop employee is heard asking for his identification as the store requires customers to be at least 21.

SB 3 by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, would criminalize the possession and manufacture of intoxicating legal products currently sold in smoke shops, convenience stores, breweries, coffee shops and online retailers.

Possession of the products would be a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000. Manufacturing them would be a third-degree felony, punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

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Retailers would have until January to comply with the new law, which would not target the sale of the products containing cannabidiol (CBD) or Cannabigerol (CBG), two nonintoxicating hemp derivatives.

It would ban anything other than CBG and CBD. That includes all other consumable hemp products, such as cannabinol (CBN), which is also nonintoxicating and popular for uses such as sleep aids and anxiety.

CBD is federally approved for treating a form of childhood epilepsy, and medical evidence suggests it could treat anxiety disorders, pain, insomnia and possibly inflammation.

Perry has promised to deliver “the toughest THC ban in the nation.”

The fight ahead

If the 15-0 vote of the committee, made up of 9 Republicans and 6 Democrats, is any indicator, the House could stop it in its tracks.

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“I appreciate you working on it, I know it’s a long time coming,” Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, a member of the committee, told King right before the vote.

Supporters of the ban say that THC should only be legal in Texas for those who need it for medical needs, administer through health professionals, and can qualify through the state’s medical marijuana program, known as the Texas Compassionate Use Program.

Bills that would increase the number of dispensaries in that program – from 3 to 11 – allow for off-site storage of product, allow for smokable marijuana to be administered instead of just gummies and oils, and add more qualifying health conditions are awaiting committee and floor votes.

Prohibition would be a disappointing overreach that defies Texas’ pro-business values, supporters have said. They urge lawmakers to avoid killing an industry that has created about 50,000 jobs, according to market research.

The 2019 loophole

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Hemp and marijuana plants are varieties of cannabis. In Texas, products containing THC from marijuana are illegal except for the narrow medical program.

Most THC products derived from hemp plants, however, are legal because of a 2019 state law that allows the farming and commercialization of hemp with trace amounts of THC.

Because the law was written for farmers, not retailers, it did not offer the restrictions present in other states’ consumable hemp programs, including strict third-party testing requirements and age limits on purchases.

The 2019 legislation limited the amount of delta-9 THC in hemp plants and products to no more than 0.3% by weight but did not place limits for any other hemp derivatives.

The law removed hemp from the state’s Controlled Substances Act, effectively legalizing all of its derivatives without potency limits on most of them.

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In 2023, some lawmakers attempted to ban intoxicating hemp-based products but were unsuccessful.

Law enforcement has been at odds with retailers over the legality of the products because some tested after being sold contained illegally high levels of THC and products have been found in the possession of those younger than 21.



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Texas A&M Forward Transfer Seemingly on Visit to See Lady Vols Basketball | Rocky Top Insider

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Texas A&M Forward Transfer Seemingly on Visit to See Lady Vols Basketball | Rocky Top Insider


fatmata janneh lady vols basketball
Photo via Texas A&M Athletics

Lady Vols basketball is looking to add more pieces to its 2026-27 roster with high-level experience. After completing her junior season at Texas A&M, Fatmata Janneh has emerged as a Tennessee target for her final year of eligibility. According to her Instagram story on Sunday night, she is in Knoxville.

With the Aggies a year ago, the 6-foot-2 forward averaged 11.4 points per game on 43.3% shooting from the field. She also showed off an ability to hit from range, posting 1.1 makes per game on 33% shooting from three.

Perhaps Janneh’s biggest strength is her rebounding, though. She ripped down 9.7 boards per contest, good for the fifth-most in the SEC. This featured 2.6 rebounds on the offensive end per outing.

Janneh also averaged 1.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. She appeared in 27 games, starting in each.

More From RTI: How Watching The NCAA Tournament Drew Terrence Hill Jr. To Tennessee Basketball

Janneh started her career with a pair of seasons at St. Peter’s. As a sophomore, she averaged a double-double, posting 18.2 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. This made her a sought-after transfer in the portal before landing at Texas A&M as the nation’s leading defensive rebounder. As a freshman, she averaged 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.

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The forward is from London, England, attending Barking Abbey Sixth Form for her prep ball. She would be the second player from England to join the Tennessee roster if she committed. UT also added the commitment of incoming freshman and former Boston College signee Irene Oboavwoduo this offseason.

So far, Caldwell and the Lady Vols have landed five transfers in this portal cycle. This features Liberty guard Avery Mills, Northern Arizona guard Naomi White, Stanford forward Harper Peterson and Georgia forward Zhen Craft and guard Rylie Theuerkauf.

Tennessee will also roster a pair of incoming freshmen. Four-star recruit and top-50 prospect Gabby Minus is staying true to her signing despite the roster overhaul and assistant coaching changes, along with the addition of Oboavwoduo.





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Texas needs at least $174 billion to avoid water crisis, state says

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Texas needs at least 4 billion to avoid water crisis, state says


AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — Texas communities will need to spend $174 billion in the next 50 years to avert a severe water crisis, a new state analysis revealed Thursday. That’s more than double the $80 billion projected four years ago, when the Texas Water Development Board last passed a state water plan.

The three-member board presiding over the agency authorized the highly anticipated draft blueprint Thursday, the first administrative step toward adopting the water development board’s plans for the next 50 years. The plan, released every five years, encompasses the projects that 16 regional water planning groups in Texas said are the most urgent, water development board officials said. 

The board’s latest estimates come as the state’s water supply faces numerous threats. Growing communities across Texas are scrambling to secure water, keep up with construction costs and cope with a yearslong drought. This week, Corpus Christi officials said the city may be just months away from declaring a water emergency. Meanwhile, other rural cities by the Coastal Bend are rapidly drilling wells to avoid a crisis. Residents in North Texas have also been bracing for groundwater shortages.

In an effort to restrain the crisis, lawmakers last year called an election in which voters approved a $20 billion boost for communities to use on water-related expenses. The water development board’s estimate shows that what lawmakers proposed on the ballot falls dramatically short of the needed cash, experts said.

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“What this number tells me at the end of the day is if we don’t get serious about (funding water projects), there are going to be serious consequences for Texas,” said Perry Fowler, executive director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network. “Even with the billion-dollar-a-year plan kicking in, it’s not going to be enough to offset the costs of the projects that are going to have to be executed.”

The new estimate accounts for 3,000 projects, from regional infrastructure upgrades to smaller endeavors such as drilling new water wells. Texas’ water supplies are expected to drop by roughly 10% between 2030 and 2080, according to the water plan. In that same time frame, the maximum amount of water communities can draw is also expected to decline by 9%.

The 80-page plan notes approximately 6,700 recommended strategies that would add water to the state’s dwindling portfolio. The recommendations — which are not accounted for in the cost — include developing new supplies from aquifer storage and recovery, brackish groundwater, desalination and recycled water. It also calls for water conservation.

The report suggested that if Texas does not implement the plans and recommendations, the state is one severe drought away from an estimated $91 billion in economic damages in 2030.

The state’s plan attributes a variety of reasons for the bigger price tag, such as higher costs of construction due to inflation, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chains, and a growing backlog of water supply projects.

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“There’s a plan that can meet our needs,” said Matt Nelson, deputy executive administrator for the Office of Planning at the water development board, adding that they take their cues from the regional planning groups. “These are local projects that folks need to implement; they’re needed regardless of how they’re funded. It’s important to remember these are not top-down projects or state projects.”

Experts told The Texas Tribune that the board’s estimate is only a fraction of what Texas communities will need to ensure they have water in 50 years’ time, saying growth and development are outpacing the state’s ability to keep up.

“This is a bigger water plan in terms of volume strategies and capital costs compared to anything we’ve ever seen before,” said Jeremy Mazur, the director of infrastructure and natural resources policy at think tank Texas 2036.

Mazur suggested that the $174 billion only covers water supply projects and does not account for updating aging infrastructure, adding that the actual price could amount to a quarter of a trillion dollars.

“There’s a substantial magnitude with regard to the capital investment needed to both fix our aging and current systems and potentially develop the water infrastructure, water supply projects that we need.“

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The report largely confirmed what many water experts have warned regarding threats to the state’s water supply, said Sarah Kirkle, director of policy at the Texas Water Association.

“Population growth, extreme weather, and economic development needs are all increasing demands on our infrastructure, and the state is going to need more water, sooner,” Kirkle said. “This is all while water projects are becoming more costly and complex because the easiest and cheapest local projects have already been developed.”

Fowler, with the infrastructure network, said he expects the Texas Legislature to take up the issue next year, when lawmakers meet for the 90th legislative session. He said the state should take a bigger role in ensuring that communities can afford their respective water projects.

“It’s going to have to be a top-down priority, there’s no way around it,” he said. “The challenges are so immense that it’s going to take all hands on deck.”

Texas residents have until the end of May to comment on the proposal. Water development board officials must adopt it by January 2027.

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Alejandra Martinez contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at www.texastribune.org. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans – and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.



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Co‑worker confesses to killing missing North Texas man and stealing his car, police say

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Co‑worker confesses to killing missing North Texas man and stealing his car, police say



A North Texas man reported missing earlier this week was found dead Friday, and police say a co‑worker has confessed to fatally shooting him and stealing his car.

The suspect, Gregory D. Lewis, 34, remains in custody and faces a forthcoming capital murder charge, according to the Fort Worth Police Department. 

Lewis is accused of killing 31‑year‑old Thomas King, who had been last seen in his Taco Casa work uniform. King was reported missing on Tuesday after failing to return home Monday from the fast‑food restaurant in the 1100 block of Bridgewood Drive.

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Car found at Arlington motel 

Police said King’s car was found at the Quality Inn on I‑20 in Arlington, and surveillance video showed Lewis arriving in King’s vehicle shortly after King left work. 

Detectives identified the man in the video and arrested him on unrelated charges.

  Gregory D. Lewis, 34

Tarrant County Jail

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Body discovered on Fort Worth’s East Side 

King’s body was located on Friday in an open field on Fort Worth’s East Side, authorities said. 

According to police, Lewis confessed to shooting the victim and stealing his car. 

Medical examiner review pending 

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. 

CBS News Texas has reached out to Taco Casa for comment.

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