April 1, 2023

Legislative Session Update with a Texas Lobbyist

When you're fighting for access to hemp-derived cannabinoids in Texas, it's best to call in the pros. So join Hometown Hero CEO and Co-Founder Lukas Gilkey as he sits down with lobbyist Tris Castañeda for an update on the current session of the Texas Legislature in the video below:

What is lobbying?

Depending on who you ask, there are plenty of opinions on lobbying. However, from an insider standpoint, a lobbyist works with businesses to help communicate their message to the legislative and executive branches and government agencies.

Now it's no secret that there are plenty of different "audiences" within the government. From rural to urban to different political parties, lobbyists specialize in crafting the right message for the right people.

The Commerce Clause, Out-of-State Vendors, and Illicit Markets

What would happen if Delta-8 and other novel adult cannabinoids got banned in Texas? Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the Constitution may shed light on the subject:

[The Congress shall have Power] To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

This part of the Constitution grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce while restricting state governments from impairing interstate commerce.

Therefore, such a ban would take all the jobs created and revenue gathered from this industry and hand them over to out-of-state vendors. As we all know, prohibition is the fastest way to create an unregulated, illicit market.

Staying Updated

Because of the work of Tris Castañeda, we can continue to do what we do here at Hometown Hero and keep hemp-derived cannabinoids available in Texas. With this current legislative session, we'll need all the help we can get, and we're very fortunate to have Tris working with us.

If you're interested in the current climate of the hemp industry and a more in-depth view of what we do here at Hometown Hero, you can check out our previous videos below:

Get Involved

In the video, Tris mentioned contacting your state lawmakers to help put a stop to SB 264 in Texas. If you are interested in having your voice heard (in a respectful manner of course), then you can find the contact information for your state representative and state senator on this website.

Until next time.