Latest news with #TexasLegislation
Forbes
02-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Texas Delivers On Housing Reforms, Connecticut Stumbles
Mexican American family having a party in backyard of sustainable home with solar panels on the ... More roof. Suburb area of Houston, Texas. The median sale price for a home in the United States was $440,913 in May, about $140,000 more than five years ago. The housing affordability problem that started in a few coastal cities has spread across the country, and the only way to solve it is to build a lot more housing. This year Texas passed several laws that will do just that, while in Connecticut a similar bundle of reforms was vetoed by the governor. In its legislative session that ended earlier this month, Texas passed a number of reforms to make it easier to build more housing. The first law, SB 840, requires municipalities to allow what is commonly called missing-middle housing. These are housing types that lie between large single-family homes and multi-story apartment buildings, such as duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes. Many local governments have rules that effectively ban these types of homes, but now they will be allowed in any area already zoned for commercial or mixed-use development. This will enable developers to build affordable housing near shops, restaurants, and jobs, a pattern of development that was common across the country but has largely taken a backseat to residential-only suburbs since the 1960s. Another law, SB 15, will make it easier for developers to build smaller homes in Texas. The law prohibits cities from requiring lot sizes of more than 1,400 square feet in new greenfield subdivisions of at least five acres. Land is a big contributor to the cost of housing, comprising between 20% and 40% of the cost of a new house. Allowing builders to use less land will make housing more affordable for lower- and middle-income families. The third pro-housing law, SB 2477, removes regulations that discourage office-to-residential conversions. This law prevents local governments from tying up conversion projects with unnecessary traffic studies, parking requirements, and zoning changes. Last year, the Pew Charitable Trusts released a report showing that converting office buildings to single-room occupancy units is a feasible and effective way to add more housing in dense city centers. This new law will pave the way for such projects in Texas's big cities. The next law, SB 2835, allows developers to build apartment buildings up to six stories with only one staircase. Single-stair apartment buildings are cheaper to build—reducing construction costs by 6% to 13%—and can fit on smaller lots than double-loaded corridor buildings. Their flexibility is especially important for infill development in cities, where lots are often small and irregularly shaped. Finally, HB 24 eliminates a loophole that enabled small groups of anti-housing protesters to block new housing projects. The old law made it too easy for a minority of residents to use petitions and other mechanisms to stifle development. The new law modernizes the community feedback process to create more predictability for builders and ensures that property owners are not unduly prevented from using their land to help communities meet the growing demand for more housing. Texas has grown rapidly since the pandemic, and these reforms will make it easier and cheaper to build the housing it needs. The reforms are timely, too. In a recent study, economists Edward Glaeser and Joseph Gyourko find that many Southern and Western metro areas are not adding as much housing as they used to, which is pushing prices up. By passing these pro-housing laws, Texas is doing its part to reverse this trend so families can afford to live and work in the Lonestar state. Shifting to the Northeast, like Texas Connecticut had a chance to make housing more affordable this year. But unlike Texas, it whiffed on the opportunity when Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont vetoed HB 5002. Connecticut's home price-to-median income ratio is 4.4, below the U.S. average but still a signal that housing is too expensive. Worse, the gap between housing prices and income has widened over the last five years. HB 5002 would make several changes to the state's housing policies designed to improve affordability. These include reducing and eliminating parking requirements, making it easier to convert commercial buildings to residential units, encouraging more development near public transportation routes, and making it easier to build missing-middle housing such as duplexes and townhomes. The bill would also increase funding to support and improve governments' planning processes. During his veto announcement, Governor Lamont expressed support for many of the provisions in the bill. But in the end, he sided with local officials worried about the state infringing on local control. During his press conference, he said 'I think the only way to really make it work is if you have buy-in from the local communities.' In a unique twist, Connecticut Republicans—long thought to be the party of economic growth and property rights—led the effort to veto a bill that would have boosted economic growth and expanded individual property rights. Responding to Lamont's veto, Pete Harrison, the Connecticut Director of the Regional Plan Association and the Director of pro-housing organization DesegregateCT told me, 'We wish Governor Lamont let alone Republicans in Connecticut would show half the foresight and common sense that Red State Republicans have shown when it comes to housing policy. The disconnect is costing Connecticut billions in economic activity and future growth.' He added 'We hope the governor keeps his promise to call a special session where both he and Republicans will have another chance at stepping up as both the Democratic-controlled House and Senate have done.' While Governor Lamont's and Republicans' concerns about local control are understandable, it is important to remember local governments only have the control states grant them. If local governments abuse their authority—perhaps by making it unnecessarily difficult to build housing—state officials should step in to rectify the situation and uphold their responsibility to help the state prosper. When it comes to zoning and land-use regulations, there are powerful local incentives to restrict new development. Current homeowners, well-connected developers, and local politicians chosen from these groups often worry about the impact new development will have on their neighborhoods, so they hinder it. State officials are better positioned to overcome these concerns since they have an incentive to consider the broader economic effects more housing will have on the state's economy and budget. It would be wise for Governor Lamont to remember these dynamics the next time a housing bill crosses his desk. The high cost of housing is one of the biggest problems facing America. Research shows that high housing prices limit access to jobs and high-quality schools, delay family formation, and even reduce fertility. Young people are the most affected. According to one recent survey, 67% of Americans believe homeownership is unrealistic for young people. If this belief persists, it will undermine how younger generations view America: Not as the land of opportunity, but as a place where opportunity is hoarded by established homeowners at the expense of everyone else. Texas's officials are trying to fix the problem. We will see if Connecticut's join them.
CBS News
29-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Texas Reps react to Governor Greg Abbott's veto of SB3, the THC ban bill, and call for a special session
The author of Senate Bill 3 that banned THC products in Texas still believes in the integrity of the legislation despite Governor Greg Abbott's veto. The Governor rejected the bill last Sunday night, with less than 40 minutes before the midnight deadline, and he called for a special session beginning July 21 for lawmakers to pass another bill that will regulate the Hemp industry in Texas. In an interview Tuesday for Eye On Politics, Republican State Senator Charles Perry of Lubbock told CBS News Texas, "He raised some legitimate concerns in his proclamation as to why he got to where he did. I have all the confidence in the world that we will alleviate and address those concerns in a special session in fairly short order. SB 3 is on solid ground. My prediction would be we'll have something fairly close to what SB 3 did." Gov. Abbott's legal concerns In his proclamation, Abbott said he vetoed the measure because of legal concerns. "If I were to allow Senate Bill 3 to become law, its enforcement would be enjoined for years, leaving existing abuses unaddressed. Texas cannot afford to wait. Knowing that it faces a lengthy battle that will render it dead on arrival in court-would hinder rather than help us solve the public safety issues the bill seeks to contain." The Governor's veto comes despite the fact that all Republicans in the State Senate and all but two Republicans in the State House voted for SB 3. Representative Brian Harrison of Midlothian was one of the two Republicans who voted against the bill. In an interview for Eye On Politics, Harrison told CBS News Texas, "I believe I was the only Republican in the legislature to call on the Governor to veto SB 3 and I did that three weeks ago. It was unfortunate that the legislature passed a bill that in my opinion was massively a government overreach. It was marching us in the direction of California-style nanny-stateism and it was going to force adults to make a horrible choice. These are patriotic, freedom-loving Texans who either want or rely on these products. It was a bill that needed to be vetoed." Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick "puzzled" by veto Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who pushed for this bill during the regular legislative session, held a news conference Monday and didn't hold back about the Governor's veto. "One can only come to this conclusion which surprises me. The governor of the state of Texas wants to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas." In response to the Lt. Governor's news conference, the Governor's Press Secretary Andrew Mahaleris, issued a statement that said in part, "Governor Abbott has always shared the Lieutenant Governor's desire to ensure that THC products are not sold to our children, and that the dangerous synthetic drugs that we have seen recently are banned." In his veto proclamation, the Governor also cited a similar Arkansas law that was challenged in the courts and had been held up. But last week, a federal appeals court overturned a lower court's ruling that blocked the Arkansas legislation banning THC. In a post on the social media platform "X", the Lt. Governor cited the ruling saying, "All we have to do is pass SB 3, just like we passed during the regular session." The Governor responded on "X", "Even though the Arkansas law was not plagued with the same legal defects as the Texas bill, it still was unenforced for two years and will be further tied up in court for years to come." A poll by the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin, shows overall, 53 percent oppose the ban on THC products, 31 percent support it. Among Republicans, a much closer margin, with 46 percent support the ban, while 39 percent oppose it.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Abbott signs over 300 bills Friday as deadline nears
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Gov. Greg Abbott signed 306 bills Friday afternoon, including 15 described as 'critical legislation.' Senate Bill 1035 allows individuals or entities to sue if their local government violates Texas' Right to Farm laws, which gives protections to farm owners from neighbors if their farm has been in operation for at least one year. SB 2231 designates the second week of October as Free College Application Week, requiring the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to waive all college application fees during that week. The waiver only applies to in-state and public universities. SB 2570 allows correctional officers and peace officers to use less-lethal force weapons, like pepper spray, stun guns and batons once the law takes effect Sept. 1. The law is intended to prevent officers from 'frivolous litigation' for those officers. House Bill 11 reduces barriers for new residents of Texas by moving to recognize out-of-state occupational licenses in Texas. The law is targeted at workers who need licenses to work, like cosmetologists, electricians and real estate agents, whose licenses would be recognized if their home state's certification met similar standards to Texas. HB 12 orders the Sunset Advisory Commission, the state commission tasked with reviewing state agencies, to provide a 10-year report on agency performance targets. The law also strengthens transparency and public input requirements for the Commission. The bill is described as taking 'DOGE' measures to the Texas government. HB 29 mandates that if a large municipal water utility files an audit report showing it lost water, it must submit an audit planning for future mitigation. The audit must be conducted by an independent group, not the utility or the Texas Water Development Board. HB 33 is a school safety bill, also known as the Uvalde Strong Act. It strengthens emergency preparedness, requires updated law enforcement response systems and creates comprehensive training for active shooter situations at K-12 schools. HB 229 creates legal definitions for male and female sexes, and reinforces that those are the only two sexes recognized in Texas. HB 1393 creates a trigger law establishing permanent Daylight Savings Time across both time zones in Texas, if federal law establishes a law also. HB 1481 mandates the creation of policies in public schools to ban cellphones, smart watches and other personal communication devices. HB 2294 allows local workforce development boards to reimburse childcare providers for low-income students if their rating under the Texas Rising Star Program is sufficient, even if the private rate is lower. HB 2306 takes away the opportunity for parole for those convicted of human trafficking if the victim was a child or disabled person. HB 2674 prevents the Texas Education Agency and other state public education institutions from enacting regulations on homeschooling. HB 5115 expands penalties on election fraud to include destroying or discarding completed ballots, counting invalid votes or refusing to count valid ones and altering vote counts to exclude or include votes improperly. It also heightens the offense of election fraud to a second-degree felony. HB 5629 requires state agencies to expedite the process and waive fees for approval occupational licenses for veterans, active duty military members and their spouses. The deadline to sign or veto remaining legislation is Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick "puzzled" by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's veto of bill banning THC, saying "the governor of the state of Texas wants to legalize recreational marijuana"
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick describes Gov. Greg Abbott's veto of Senate Bill 3, the legislation that would ban legal marijuana in Texas, as surprising. Political observers said having the two top state leaders at odds with each other is raising questions about a possible split within the Republican-run state. "The governor and I will work together in the future and will disagree from time to time, but this is a fight that didn't need to be," said Patrick A staunch supporter of the bill, Patrick said he was surprised by the veto of a bill he expected would become law. "It puzzles me why my friend Gov. Greg Abbott would, at the last minute, about 22 minutes after 11 p.m., would decide to veto this bill," said Patrick. "One can only come to this conclusion, which surprises me: the governor of the state of Texas wants to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas." SB 3 would have banned the sale of all THC products, including delta-8 and delta-9, also known as legal marijuana, in stores that sell them. It's an industry estimated to be in the billions in Texas. In a proclamation following the veto, Abbott agreed the products aren't safe for everyone, but stated concerns over the legality of the legislation, the way it's currently written. "If I were to allow Senate Bill 3 to become law, its enforcement would be enjoined for years, leaving existing abuses unaddressed. Texas cannot afford to wait," Abbott said. "Knowing that it faces a lengthy battle that will render it dead on arrival in court, would hinder rather than help us solve the public safety issues the bill seeks to contain." A reasonable compromise? "Abbott clearly believes that the bill, as written, goes farther than it is constitutionally warranted at this point," said Dr. Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at SMU. "I don't think this fundamentally ruptures the relationship between Patrick and Abbott, but I think that Patrick is a little miffed. It will be interesting to see if they are able to come up with a reasonable compromise that they can both live with. But I think this points to some of the tensions in a state where there is a one-party rule." As for Patrick, he isn't holding back on criticism towards his friend and the governor. "We will see what happens in the special session, but where has he been all session?" Patrick asked. "Where's he been?" Abbott said he would like to see more restrictions on the products and cited a similar bill out of Arkansas, which was challenged successfully by the federal courts, and that he didn't want that to happen in Texas. Why some THC is legal in Texas The federal and Texas governments legalized hemp in 2018 and 2019, respectively, with agricultural uses in mind. The laws differentiated hemp from illegal forms of cannabis by defining it as having 0.3% "delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol" or less. The laws didn't explicitly cap other forms of THC, like delta-8 and delta-10, which aren't naturally found in large quantities, but have similar psychoactive effects to delta-9. Cannabis companies jumped on the loophole, providing Texas retailers with products containing the unregulated THC compounds. The bill was a top priority for Patrick during the legislative session in Austin. He claimed that the stores selling THC products were targeting adults and children, and were putting Texans in danger. SB 3 passed the House 87-54, mostly along party lines. The Senate passed the final version 25-6. Strong opposition to SB3 As the bill was being debated, hundreds of people turned up at the Capitol to advocate against it. Since the bill passed, the opposition has turned its eyes towards Abbott, asking that he veto it. The governor had not publicly commented on the bill. An internet petition promoted by the Texas Hemp Business Council received more than 150,000 signatures, and the group has delivered thousands of letters to Abbott's office pleading for a veto. After the veto, the council said in a statement: "Governor Greg Abbott's veto of SB 3 reinforces Texas' reputation as a leader in business innovation and practical policymaking. By choosing balance over overreach, Governor Abbott protected a vibrant, federally legal hemp industry that employs 53,000 Texans and generates over $4.3 billion in annual sales." Opponents argued that if the bill became law, it would force thousands of people out of their jobs and cause billions of dollars in economic losses for the state from what has become a booming industry. They also argue it would harm veterans and others who use THC instead of opioids to treat chronic pain, forcing them to buy from drug dealers to get the same relief. Survey data from a pollster aligned with President Trump found that most Texans would like to see stricter regulations around THC, but a large majority of voters, and 44% of Republicans, oppose a ban. What is the difference between THC and CBD? Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its sibling, cannabidiol (CBD), are produced by the same cannabis plant and have similar chemical structures but differ dramatically in their mechanisms of action and effects on brain functions, according to the National Institutes of Health. THC and CBD both have therapeutic properties; however, impairments and increased incidence of mental health diseases are associated with acute and chronic THC use, according to the NIH. NIH also said there are significant side effects associated with chronic use of high-dose CBD.
Forbes
22-06-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Texas Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Program Expansion Bill Into Law
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a bill to expand the state's limited medical marijuana program, ... More leading activists to declare that Texas has become the 40th state to legalize medical cannabis. Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday signed legislation to significantly expand the state's medical cannabis program. The new law opens the program to additional patients and products while allowing more licensed operators, leading cannabis policy reform advocacy group the Marijuana Policy Project to declare that Texas has become 'the 40th state to legalize medical cannabis.' 'Following in the footsteps of 39 other states, Texas has embraced a commonsense policy that will ensure that Texans facing serious medical conditions have access to a medicine that's already successfully improving lives nationwide,' Lauren Daly, MPP interim executive director, said in a statement from the group. 'This new law is a direct result of overwhelming public support, acknowledging medical cannabis as a valuable, scientifically supported option for managing chronic pain and debilitating illnesses.' The legislation, House Bill 46 (HB 46), was approved by the Texas House of Representatives on May 13. The state Senate passed an amended version of the bill on May 27, leading to the creation of a conference committee to rectify the differences between the two bills. Both chambers passed the compromise bill on June 2, sending the measure to Abbott for his consideration. The passage of the compromise medical marijuana program expansion bill was welcomed by cannabis policy reform advocates, including members of the Texas Cannabis Policy Center. 'For 10 years, most patients have been excluded from participating in the Compassionate Use Program,' Heather Fazio, executive director of the group, told Marijuana Moment at the time. 'We're happy to see that the legislature is finally expanding the program in a meaningful way.' New Law Expands Texas' Medical Cannabis Program The new law expands the list of conditions that qualify a patient to use medical marijuana, adding chronic pain, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Crohn's disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases. End-of-life patients in palliative or hospice care would also qualify for the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP), as the state's medical cannabis program is known. The measure also expands the types of cannabis products authorized by the TCUP, adding medical marijuana patches and topicals, as well as suppositories, approved inhalers, nebulizers and vaping devices. The legislation also directs the state Department of Public Safety to increase the number of medical cannabis business licenses from three to 15. Licensed providers would also be allowed to operate approved satellite locations. Texas' new medical cannabis law adds new qualifying conditions to the current limited program. Under HB 46, medical cannabis patient registrations will be valid for one year, online cannabis news source Marijuana Moment noted in a report on Saturday. Registered patients will be allowed up to four refills of a 90-day supply of medical cannabis products. Licensed cannabis products will be limited to one gram of total THC per package, with a maximum of 10 milligrams THC allowed per dose. The new law broadens the scope of the TCUP, which was previously limited to patients with one of only eight qualifying medical conditions. The program also limited options for cannabis use, allowing only non-smokable products with less than 0.5% THC. 'For too long, the existing Texas Compassionate Use Program has been severely limited, leaving countless Texans without the relief they desperately need,' said Kevin Caldwell, MPP Southeast legislative manager. 'Texans have spoken, and their voices have been heard. HB 46 will expand access to medical cannabis, a relatively safe and effective treatment option that has long been sought by patients suffering from pain and several other serious medical conditions.' HB 46 requires state regulators to develop rules to implement the legislation by October 1.
