AUSTIN, Texas — Texas House lawmakers held a rally on March 22 at the Capitol in opposition to a Senate amendment to House Bill 1535.
The amendment reduces the scope of the bill by limiting the list of medical conditions eligible for medical marijuana treatment.
House Bill 1535, as passed by the Texas House, proposed expanding access to medical cannabis by adding conditions such as chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of qualifying conditions.
The Senate version of the bill removed these conditions.
The bill also includes provisions related to the number of dispensary licenses and the regulatory framework for the state’s Compassionate Use Program.
Lawmakers at the rally stated that the Senate amendment changes the intent of the original House version.
Both Republican and Democratic representatives participated in the rally. They expressed their opposition to the changes and indicated plans to negotiate the final version of the bill.