How this score is worked out
Seven kinds of act move this number, and they do not count equally. A recorded vote counts 3, and so does authoring a bill or signing an executive action; signing on to somebody else’s bill counts 2. A statement or a questionnaire answer counts 2 as well, and an organisational endorsement counts 1. A vote takes its direction from the bill, whose effect is set out in advance; the rest take it from our reading of what was said, and each one below shows that reading and the reason for it. Acts shown with no number were examined and deliberately left out of the arithmetic, with a reason given.
- 2026-03-27 executive action — He kept THC on the Senate's agenda for the next session and framed the question his committee must answer entirely around health, psychiatric and criminal-justice harms, with the requested recommendations aimed at reducing those costs. It is -1 rather than -2 because a study charge commits the chamber to no measure, counted as -1 at weight 3
- 2025-09-12 statement — Stated opposition to any pathway that could open the door to recreational marijuana in Texas, counted as -2 at weight 2
- 2025-08-19 statement — His own words call the ban a top legislative priority and commit the Senate to passing it again, after two earlier attempts had failed, while carving out the medical programme and non-intoxicating hemp, counted as -2 at weight 2
- 2025-07-30 statement — Named the successor ban a top legislative priority for the Senate and described the sellers it targets as exploiting a loophole, counted as -2 at weight 2
- 2025-07-22 statement — After the veto of Senate Bill 3 he put the same ban back on the Senate's numbered priority list for the special session, rather than the regulation the session had been called to write, counted as -2 at weight 2
- 2025-06-23 statement — Criticised the veto of the ban and rejected regulating hemp-derived THC as an alternative to prohibiting it, counted as -2 at weight 2
- 2025-06-23 statement — Argued prohibition over regulation in terms — that the best way to protect adults and children is to ban the product — and said he would not sign a bill legalising marijuana, counted as -2 at weight 2
- 2025-03-19 statement — Named the bill to ban all forms of intoxicating THC as a major legislative initiative of his, and described its passage as the Senate drawing a line in the sand, counted as -2 at weight 2
- 2025-01-29 statement — This is the priority claim in primary-source form rather than press characterisation: he assigned the ban one of the Senate's lowest bill numbers and, in the same document, explained that a low number is how he marks his own priorities, counted as -2 at weight 2
- 2024-12-04 statement — He announced in his own words, before the session opened, that the Senate's bill would ban all forms of consumable THC - the most restrictive position available on the question this guide covers, counted as -2 at weight 2
Average on the −2 to +2 scale: -1.857. Full method and the bill table.
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Official act2024-04-11
Issued the 2024 interim charges to the Texas Senate, the instructions that set what each Senate committee studies before the next session. The charges to the Senate Committee on State Affairs include one headed "Banning Delta 8 and 9", reading: "Examine the sale of intoxicating hemp products in Texas. Make recommendations to further regulate the sale of these products, and suggest legislation to stop retailers who market these products to children."
It is the only THC, hemp or cannabis item in that document; a second, shorter set of charges issued on 2024-09-10 is recorded separately on this page.
⚠️The charge directs a study, not legislation, and names no bill.
WeedVoter’s note — shown here, but not counted in the score: A record of this kind counts only when this site has published a reading of its direction, with the reason for it, and none has been made for this one.
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Official act2024-09-10
Issued a second set of 2024 interim charges to the Texas Senate. The charges to the Senate Committee on State Affairs include one headed "Beverages with THC", reading: "Evaluate Texas laws and regulations concerning THC beverage manufacturing and delivery. Report on the current regulations and safeguards Texas may or may not have in place for drinks with any amount of THC. Recommend legislation to protect Texas consumers."
It is the only THC, hemp or cannabis item in that document.
⚠️The charge directs a study, not legislation, and names no bill.
WeedVoter’s note — shown here, but deliberately left out of the score: A study charge about how THC drinks are made, delivered and regulated, asking for legislation to protect consumers. This site does not score consumer-protection terms such as age limits and warning labels as a position on lawful access, so this charge is shown and not scored.
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Said2024-12-04
Announced, before bills could be filed for the 89th Legislature, that Senate Bill 3 would be a bill to ban all consumable THC in Texas. The release on his official site is headed "Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Launches Major Legislative Initiative to Ban All THC", with the subheading "Thousands of Stores Have Opened to Sell All Types of Dangerous Products with Unlimited THC. These Stores Even Target Your Children." In it he said: "Under Senate Bill 3, these products, and all forms of THC, will be banned in Texas."
He added: "Senate Bill 3, which will be carried by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, will ban all forms of THC and keep these unsafe products off our streets. We are not going to allow these retailers to circumvent the law and put Texans' lives in danger." He described the 2019 hemp law as having been passed "to bolster agriculture in Texas" and said retailers had then "exploited the agriculture law to sell life-threatening, unregulated forms of THC to the public".
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Said2025-01-29
Placed the THC ban third on his published list of priority bills for the 89th regular session. The list on his official site names "Senate Bill 3 – Banning THC in Texas" between school choice and the homestead exemption. The same release explains what the numbering means: "Thousands of bills are filed by Texas senators each session. Traditionally, bill numbers 1 through 20 have indicated the Lt. Governor's priorities for the Senate.
In 2017, I increased the number of priority bills to 30. This year, I am increasing the number of priority bills to 40." He added: "Senators like having a low bill number since it shows their bill is a priority of the Lt. Governor and has a high probability of passage."
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Said2025-03-19
Issued an official statement on the Texas Senate passage of Senate Bill 3: "Since 2019, retailers across Texas have exploited a state agriculture law to sell life-threatening, unregulated forms of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to Texans, including children." The statement said: "Today, the Texas Senate drew a line in the sand and passed SB 3 to ban all forms of intoxicating THC", and: "I named SB 3 a major legislative initiative of mine because I will not allow retailers to circumvent the law and put Texans’, and especially children’s, lives in danger."
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Said2025-05-27
During the Texas Senate’s proceedings on HB 46, the Compassionate Use Program expansion, on 27 May 2025, said: “What we have done this session, members, is eradicate bad actors who are poisoning our community, children and adults, and making a massive profit off people”, and “We have wiped them out and are now building one of the biggest Compassionate Use Programs in the country.” Reported by the Texas Tribune the same night.
WeedVoter’s note — shown here, but not counted in the score: A record of this kind counts only when this site has published a reading of its direction, with the reason for it, and none has been made for this one.
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Said2025-06-23
Publicly criticised Governor Abbott over the veto of Senate Bill 3 and rejected calls to regulate hemp-derived THC rather than ban it.
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Said2025-06-23
Held a press conference the day after the veto. In a published transcript of the recording he said: "I know he gave the reasons and his proclamation, but our team simply doesn’t agree with those reasons, and we’ll talk through that." On regulation versus prohibition he said: "The best way to protect the adults and the children is to ban the product. Is to ban the product. You cannot regulate eight to 9,000 locations.
We do not have enough law enforcement to do so, and they’ll continue to sell it skirting the law." He also said: "And I will not sign a bill that legalizes marijuana in Texas", and "I’m not mad at the governor, but I’m not going to legalize marijuana in Texas. And if people want to vote me out of office for that, so be it."
⚠️These are spoken words taken from a transcript of the recording, not text he published.
- Full press conference on the veto, recorded by an Austin television station (33:46) 1:07, 5:40, 11:48-13:45 and 25:38quotes are from a published transcript of this recording, not transcribed here
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Said2025-07-22
Announced the Senate's bill list for the first called special session of the 89th Legislature, the day after it convened, giving the renewed THC ban the fifth slot: "SB 5 – Banning THC, by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock". The list placed it alongside natural disaster recovery, flood warning communications, Hill Country relief funding and redistricting.
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Said2025-07-30
Issued an official statement on the Senate passage of Senate Bill 5, the special-session successor: "Since 2019, bad actors have taken advantage of a loophole in Texas agriculture law to sell potent, intoxicating forms of THC that have nothing to do with agriculture." He added: "I made Senate Bill 5 a top legislative priority for the Senate because we refuse to let these rogue retailers exploit loopholes in state law to sell dangerous THC products into our communities."
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Said2025-08-19
Issued an official statement after the Senate passed Senate Bill 6 of the second called session, the third THC ban bill of 2025. He said: "Senate Bill 6 has been a top legislative priority because the Texas Senate refuses to allow bad actors to use loopholes in agriculture law to flood our communities with potent, intoxicating products disguised as harmless treats." He also said: "Today marked the third time since May that the Texas Senate has taken bold action to protect our communities by passing legislation to ban intoxicating THC", cited a poll finding that "72% of voters who voted Republican in the last three primaries support banning all THC", and closed: "Texans expect action—and the Senate will continue delivering until SB 6 becomes law."
The release states that "SB 6 does not alter the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) or laws related to the farming of hemp" and "does not impact the sale or use of CBD or CBG products."
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Said2025-09-12
In an official statement responding to the Governor THC executive order, stated continued support for the Texas Compassionate Use Program and for medical THC prescribed by doctors.
WeedVoter’s note — shown here, but deliberately left out of the score: Affirms the existing narrow medical programme as the legitimate channel while proposing no expansion of it. Not a move in either direction, so it is shown but not scored.
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Said2025-09-12
In the same official statement, stated opposition to any pathway that could open the door to recreational marijuana in Texas.
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Official act2026-03-27
Issued the 2026 interim charges to the Texas Senate, the instructions that set what each Senate committee studies before the next session. The charges to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services include one headed "Addressing Societal Impacts of THC Product Consumption", reading: "Study the impact of THC on increased health care costs, mental health emergency detentions, and the risk of being diagnosed with a THC-induced psychotic disorder.
Make recommendations to decrease health care and criminal justice costs." This is the only THC, hemp or cannabis item in the 2026 charges: the first round issued 2026-01-30 and the seven additional charges issued 2026-07-27 were both read in full and contain none.
⚠️The charge directs a study, not legislation, and names no bill.