Hannah Norton

1 week ago | communityimpact.com | Hannah Norton

Texas senators voted unanimously May 27 to expand eligibility for medical cannabis prescriptions, putting the state on track to build out an existing program that some Texans have said does not currently help enough people. That same day, legislation that would ban the possession, sale and manufacture of all other hemp-derived THC products in Texas was sent to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.

1 week ago | communityimpact.com | Hannah Norton

Texas House lawmakers initially approved on May 27 a bill that seeks to make housing more affordable by loosening density restrictions for new neighborhoods. The proposal was substantially amended by the House, setting up a potential clash with state senators. The overviewIn large Texas cities, Senate Bill 15 would allow property owners in new neighborhoods to construct single-family homes on lots as small as 3,000 square feet without approval from local officials.

1 week ago | communityimpact.com | Hannah Norton

Texas House lawmakers initially approved on May 26 a pair of bills aimed at ensuring the state’s power grid and water systems can withstand continued population growth. “The Texas economic miracle, it needs three ingredients to happen: it needs a qualified workforce, a dependable electric grid and reliable water infrastructure,” Jeremy Mazur, a policy director for the nonpartisan think tank Texas 2036, said during a March 3 panel at the state capitol.

2 weeks ago | communityimpact.com | Hannah Norton

Provide permanent raises for educators and support staffInvest in early learning initiativesSet aside money for fixed costs, such as utilities and insurance“ Texas public schools will likely see an $8.5 billion funding boost this fall after state senators initially approved a bipartisan bill that would:House Bill 2 delivers what Texas students and educators truly need and have been asking for,” bill sponsor Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, said on the Senate floor May 22.

2 weeks ago | communityimpact.com | Hannah Norton

Texas House lawmakers greenlit legislation May 21 that would shut down the state’s multibillion dollar consumable hemp industry, a top priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Senate Bill 3 would ban the possession, sale and manufacture of all products containing hemp-derived tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, a psychoactive substance. The bill includes exceptions for the state’s low-THC medical cannabis program, which House lawmakers are working to expand.