The Blast Bulletin - September 4, 2025

By Renzo Downey and The Texas Tribune Politics Team

NO DEAL

In the end, the final crack at a THC deal fell short and the House and Senate adjourned sine die after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick declared no deal.

The ball was rolling on House Bill 36, Rep. Charlie Geren’s bill that would have banned the sale of THC products to those younger than 21. A fiscal note was drafted, and the House Public Health Committee was expected to hear that bill tonight.

There was even chatter that the House could suspend rules to rush HB 36 to the floor tonight.

Nevertheless, Patrick stamped out any such talk by declaring THC legislation dead and announcing the Senate would adjourn sine die tonight after passing flood response bills.

“After long discussions last night between the Governor, Speaker, and me on THC, and continued hours of discussion today, we were not able to come to a resolution,” Patrick said in a statement, in which he thanked Gov. Greg Abbott for the effort and Speaker Dustin Burrows — along with House Republicans — for passing a complete ban in the regular session. “My position remains unchanged; the Senate and I are for a total THC ban.”

Although the House and Senate have adjourned sine die, that doesn’t mean they’re sine done.

Just before gaveling out, the Senate formed a five-person general investigating committee on the July 4 floods to take a “comprehensive look” at what worked and what didn’t in the response.

So, what did the Legislature do in its final hours?

Passed

• SB 1, camp safety bill regarding flood plains and evacuations

  • House rejected amendments by Rep. Wes Virdell, R-Brady

  • House passed with amendments

  • Senate concurred with House amendments

• HB 1, camp safety bill regarding emergency plans and warnings

  • Senate passed with amendments

  • House concurred with Senate amendments

• SB 5, supplemental disaster appropriations

  • House and Senate adopted the conference committee report

• HB 20, preventing fraudulent charity solicitations during a disaster

  • Senate passed with amendments

  • House concurred with Senate amendments

• SB 8, bathroom bill

  • Senate concurred with House amendments

• HB 7, abortion pill crackdown

  • Senate passed without amendments

• HB 8, STAAR test bill

  • House concurred with Senate amendments

• HB 18, banning quorum break fundraising

  • Senate passed without amendments

• HR 128, House rules cracking down on quorum breaks

  • House adopted

• SR 87, honoring Sen. Brandon Creighton on his upcoming appointment as the sole finalist for chancellor of the Texas Tech University System

  • Senate adopted

Dead

• HB 3, the interoperability bill

  • Never given a Senate hearing

• HB 15, police records bill

  • Died without the House taking up the Senate’s amendment eliminating the Uvalde carveout

• HB 27, groundwater study bill

  • House did not concur with Senate amendments

  • Last-minute envoy proved unfruitful

• And, of course, any and all THC bills

Do you have items for The Blast? New job? A promotion? A birthday in your office? Tell us all about it. Send tips to [email protected].