Honorable Charles Schwertner, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB339 by Eltife (Relating to the medical use of low-THC cannabis and the regulation of related organizations and individuals; requiring a dispensing organization to obtain a license to dispense low-THC cannabis and any employee of a dispensing organization to obtain a registration; authorizing fees.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
This bill would amend the Health and Safety and Occupation Codes to establish a legal structure whereby qualified patients may lawfully be prescribed low-THC cannabis for certain medical purposes.
The bill would authorize the director of the Department of Public Safety to impose fees sufficient to cover the cost of implementing the provisions of the bill. The Comptroller has indicated that neither the number of fee-paying participants nor the fee structure created by the Department of Public Safety are known. However, the Department of State Health Services has noted that the bill would be aimed at a narrow group of individuals. As such, it is assumed the bill would result in a positive, but minimal, revenue impact.
It is assumed any costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
The bill would stipulate a municipality, county, or other political subdivision may not enact, adopt, or enforce a rule, ordinance, order, resolution, or other regulation that prohibits the cultivation, production, dispensing, of possession of low-THC cannabis, as specified in the bill. Since the Department of State Health Services has noted that the bill would be aimed at a narrow group of individuals, it is assumed the bill would not have fiscal significance to units of local government.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 405 Department of Public Safety, 537 State Health Services, Department of