H.B. No. 46 amends the Texas Compassionate-Use Program to improve the regulation and administration of low-THC cannabis for medical purposes. The bill mandates the Department of Public Safety to register key personnel of dispensing organizations and establishes a confidential patient registry accessible only to authorized individuals. It allows dispensing organizations to operate satellite locations for secure storage of low-THC cannabis without requiring an additional license, provided they meet specific conditions. Additionally, the bill requires these organizations to commence operations within 24 months of receiving their license and to maintain continuous dispensing throughout the license term. It also expands the list of qualifying medical conditions for low-THC cannabis prescriptions to include chronic pain, traumatic brain injury, and Crohn's disease, while prohibiting municipalities from enacting restrictive regulations on cannabis cultivation, production, storage, dispensing, or possession.

The bill further revises the prescription and administration protocols for low-THC cannabis, allowing physicians to prescribe a 90-day supply with up to four refills and permitting multiple packages within that timeframe. It introduces a provision for physicians to request reports from the Department of State Health Services on the potential benefits of low-THC cannabis for additional medical conditions, contingent on supporting medical evidence. Moreover, the bill establishes guidelines for administering low-THC cannabis via pulmonary inhalation, requiring prescriptions to specify the dosage of tetrahydrocannabinols and mandating the executive commissioner to adopt rules for related medical devices. The Department of Public Safety is given a timeline to license new dispensing organizations, with the changes set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 487.101, Health and Safety Code 487.103, Health and Safety Code 487.104, Health and Safety Code 487.107, Health and Safety Code 487.201, Occupations Code 169.001, Occupations Code 169.003 (Health and Safety Code 487, Occupations Code 169)
House Committee Report: Health and Safety Code 487.053, Health and Safety Code 487.054, Health and Safety Code 487.101, Health and Safety Code 487.102, Health and Safety Code 487.103, Health and Safety Code 487.104, Health and Safety Code 487.105, Health and Safety Code 487.107, Health and Safety Code 487.151, Health and Safety Code 487.201, Occupations Code 169.001, Occupations Code 169.003 (Health and Safety Code 487, Occupations Code 169)
Engrossed: Health and Safety Code 487.053, Health and Safety Code 487.054, Health and Safety Code 487.101, Health and Safety Code 487.102, Health and Safety Code 487.103, Health and Safety Code 487.104, Health and Safety Code 487.105, Health and Safety Code 487.151, Health and Safety Code 487.201, Occupations Code 169.001, Occupations Code 169.003 (Health and Safety Code 487, Occupations Code 169)
Senate Committee Report: Health and Safety Code 487.001, Health and Safety Code 487.053, Health and Safety Code 487.101, Health and Safety Code 487.103, Health and Safety Code 487.104, Health and Safety Code 487.105, Health and Safety Code 487.107, Health and Safety Code 487.151, Health and Safety Code 487.201, Occupations Code 169.001, Occupations Code 169.003 (Health and Safety Code 487, Occupations Code 169)
Enrolled: Health and Safety Code 487.053, Health and Safety Code 487.054, Health and Safety Code 487.101, Health and Safety Code 487.102, Health and Safety Code 487.103, Health and Safety Code 487.104, Health and Safety Code 487.105, Health and Safety Code 487.107, Health and Safety Code 487.151, Health and Safety Code 487.201, Occupations Code 169.001, Occupations Code 169.003 (Health and Safety Code 487, Occupations Code 169)