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.
- 2025-10-07 executive action — An enforcement directive aimed at shops selling hemp products, scored the same as his executive order restricting those sales: it tightens enforcement against access rather than banning or expanding it, counted as -1 at weight 3
- 2025-09-10 executive action — Ordered agencies to bar sales of consumable hemp products to anyone under 21 and require identification at the point of sale: a restriction on access, aimed at minors, counted as -1 at weight 3
- 2025-08-18 executive action — Set an agenda to comprehensively regulate hemp-derived products and to criminalise supply to under-21s, while expressly ruling out a ban. Scored the same as the first-session agenda it revises: a restriction on access rather than a ban or an expansion, counted as -1 at weight 3
- 2025-07-22 statement — Said the only hemp product that would remain available is non-intoxicating hemp below three milligrams of THC, with enforcement to match, counted as -2 at weight 2
- 2025-07-09 executive action — Set an agenda to comprehensively regulate hemp-derived products and criminalise supply to under-21s, while expressly ruling out banning the crop itself, counted as -1 at weight 3
- 2025-06-22 executive action — Vetoed the bill that would have banned virtually all hemp-derived THC products, leaving the existing legal market in place, counted as +2 at weight 3
- 2025-06-22 executive action — In the same proclamation argued Texas must strongly regulate hemp immediately, listing potency limits, hours restrictions and criminal penalties for sales to minors, counted as -1 at weight 3
- 2025-06-20 executive action — Signed the expansion of the state medical cannabis programme into law, counted as +1 at weight 3
- 2018-09-28 statement — Said in a debate that he signed the legalisation of cannabidiol oil and that the case for legalising medical marijuana is very strong and compelling. That is support for medical access, not for adult legalisation, counted as +1 at weight 0.6
Average on the −2 to +2 scale: -0.398. Full method and the bill table.
-
Said2018-09-28
In the televised gubernatorial debate, addressed medical cannabis and the Texas Compassionate Use Program. Texas NORML's account of the exchange, published the following morning, quotes him describing parents of children with epilepsy who approached him about cannabidiol oil and saying "I am the governor who signed the legalization of CBD oil", and adding that discussions with veterans and with parents of autistic children "make it a very strong compelling case about legalization of medical marijuana".
⚠️This is a secondary source's transcription of a live debate, not an official transcript.
⚠️That organisation's headline also states that he endorsed decriminalisation; the passage it quotes does not contain any such statement, and this site has not verified it separately, so no decriminalisation position is recorded here.
-
Official act2023-06-13
Signed House Bill 114 of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, captioned "An Act relating to the possession, use, or delivery of marihuana or e-cigarettes on or near public school property or at certain school events." The governor-action list printed in the House Journal for the session's final day (75th Day, 2023-05-29) places HB 114 under "SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR" with the date June 13. The House had concurred in the Senate's amendments to the bill on 2023-05-26.
The bill changes the school-discipline provisions of the Education Code that apply to students found with marihuana or tetrahydrocannabinol, and adds e-cigarettes to them.
WeedVoter’s note — shown here, but deliberately left out of the score: This site's bill table rules 88R HB 114 out of scoring as a school-discipline measure rather than a cannabis-access measure, and the House votes on it are shown and not scored. Signing it is treated the same way.
-
Official act2025-06-20
Signed House Bill 46, expanding the Texas Compassionate-Use Program, the state medical cannabis programme. The Legislature records the action as "Signed by the Governor" on 06/20/2025, effective 9/1/25.
-
Official act2025-06-22
Vetoed Senate Bill 3, which would have banned the sale of virtually all hemp-derived THC products. The veto proclamation argued the bill could not survive court challenge: "Senate Bill 3 is well-intentioned. But it would never go into effect because of valid constitutional challenges. Litigation challenging the bill has already been filed, and the legal defects in the bill are undeniable. 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." He wrote that the bill "would also make felons of other innocent Texans, like pharmacists stocking health supplements, veterans treating PTSD, and parents caring for epileptic children with FDA-approved medications."
gov.texas.gov, capitol.texas.gov, houstonpublicmedia.org, journals.senate.texas.gov
-
Official act2025-06-22
In the same announcement, called a special legislative session beginning 2025-07-21 to write regulation for THC consumables in place of the vetoed ban.
WeedVoter’s note — shown here, but deliberately left out of the score: Calling a session to write a replacement framework sets no direction by itself; the agenda he set for it is scored separately.
-
Official act2025-06-22
In the same veto proclamation, argued for strict regulation of hemp rather than deregulation: "Texans on each side of the Senate Bill 3 debate raise serious concerns. But one thing is clear—to ensure the highest level of safety for minors, as well as for adults, who obtain a product more dangerous than what they expected, Texas must strongly regulate hemp, and it must do so immediately." He wrote that "The current market is dangerously under-regulated, and children are paying the price", and concluded: "Passing a law is not the same thing as actually solving a problem.
Texas needs a bill that is enforceable and will make our communities safer today, rather than years from now."
-
Official act2025-07-09
Set the July 2025 special session agenda, which included two hemp items. Under the heading "PROTECT CHILDREN FROM THC": "Legislation making it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21 years of age." Under "REGULATE HEMP-DERIVED PRODUCTS": "Legislation to comprehensively regulate hemp-derived products, including limiting potency, restricting synthetically modified compounds, and establishing enforcement mechanisms, all without banning a lawful agricultural commodity."
-
Said2025-07-22
In an interview during the special session, described banning intoxicating hemp products while keeping others legal: "The only hemp product that’s going to be out there is nonintoxicating hemp, which is below three milligrams of THC in the hemp, and we will make sure that there will be the level of enforcement to provide that." He said the bill he had vetoed would have "criminalized even a trace of THC", adding: "The fact of the matter is, there are traces of THC in the seeds that farmers use, there are traces of THC in the hemp products that farmers grow."
-
Official act2025-08-18
Set the agenda for the second called session of the 89th Legislature. The proclamation was read into the House Journal on 2025-08-18 and lists two hemp items: "Legislation making it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21." and "Legislation to comprehensively regulate hemp-derived products, including limiting potency, restricting synthetically modified compounds, and establishing enforcement mechanisms, all without banning lawful hemp-derived products."
The wording changed from the first called session's proclamation of 2025-07-09, which is recorded separately on this page and which read "Legislation making it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21 years of age." and "...all without banning a lawful agricultural commodity." Two changes: "under 21 years of age" became "under 21", and the carve-out that the legislation must not ban "a lawful agricultural commodity" became a carve-out against banning "lawful hemp-derived products".
This site records what the text says and does not characterise why it was changed.
-
Official act2025-09-10
Issued an executive order directing state agencies to bar sales of consumable hemp products to anyone under 21 and to require government-issued identification at the point of sale. In the announcement he said: "Texas will not wait when it comes to protecting children and families", and "While these products would still benefit from the kind of comprehensive regulation set by the Texas Legislature for substances like alcohol and tobacco, my executive order makes sure that kids are kept safe and parents have peace of mind now, and that consumers know the products they purchase are tested and labeled responsibly."
The date was previously given here as 2025-09-25, from a secondary source; the Governor’s own announcement is dated 2025-09-10, and that is used now.
-
Official act2025-10-07
Directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to toughen enforcement against vape and smoke shops not complying with state law, a month after his hemp executive order. His office’s release says the department’s Criminal Investigations Division will run targeted inspections and undercover operations, test seized products and bring charges. He said: "Texas will protect children from dangerous hemp products", and: "Today, I directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to increase surveillance and enforcement of any vape and smoke shop violating Texas law.
Texas will prioritize protecting our children."