Governor Greg Abbott today issued an executive order, directing the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) with the stated goal to take immediate action to protect Texas children from hemp-derived products, while respecting federal law and protecting the liberties of responsible adults.
The Executive Order directs the following agency actions:
- DSHS and TABC must ban sales to minors and require verification of government-issued ID at the point of sale, with failure to do so resulting in the loss of a retailer’s license.
- DSHS must review existing rules for possible revision, including strengthening testing and labeling requirements to ensure informed consumers, increasing licensing fees to facilitate enforcement, and improving recordkeeping to assist agency oversight.
- DSHS, TABC, and DPS must coordinate and increase enforcement across the state, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies.
Additionally, TABC, DSHS, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, and other agencies will conduct a study on a comprehensive regulatory model similar to House Bill 309 according to the Governor’s office.
