In a blistering press conference following Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of Senate Bill 3, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick accused the governor of effectively seeking to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas.
“One can only come to this conclusion,” said Patrick. “It’s surprising the governor of the state of Texas wants to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. That’s the headline, folks, because that’s what his proclamation does.”
Patrick’s remarks came less than 24 hours after Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3, legislation that would have banned the sale of synthetic and semi-synthetic THC products like Delta-8 and Delta-10 in Texas. Instead, Abbott has called for a special session starting July 21 to create a regulatory framework for intoxicating THC products.
Patrick said that effort amounts to legalization.
“Again, what Governor Abbott proposes is for us to legalize marijuana in Texas by regulating it,” said Patrick. “We cannot regulate 8,000 to 9,000 locations. We do not have enough law enforcement to do so, and they’ll continue to sell it, skirting the law.”
The veto has created a rare public clash between two of the state’s top leaders. While Patrick stressed he holds no personal animosity toward Abbott, his criticism was pointed and sustained.
“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. Not going to do it.”
Patrick also took issue with the timing of Abbott’s decision, characterizing it as a last-minute surprise that undermined the will of the Legislature.
“This veto this late, after he told me he was going to sign it—‘your bill is fine,’ he told me … We get this proclamation from him last night, after midnight. And he parachutes in at the last moment with arguments that we do not think are valid.”
Abbott’s veto message cited legal concerns, particularly the potential for the law to be struck down as preempted by federal law, as happened with a similar law in Arkansas. But Patrick dismissed that argument.
“Since when did we care who sued us when we passed a bill? … We deal with lawsuits all the time, so that should be a surprise?”
Patrick also questioned the governor’s constitutional rationale, saying that higher courts have already upheld states’ right to ban THC-infused products.
He warned that Abbott’s veto leaves the Legislature with two options: allow the current unregulated market to continue or pass a regulatory framework that Patrick argues would legalize marijuana.
“If we don’t pass a bill, the status quo continues … But if we pass a bill, as he recommends, then we’re legalizing marijuana.”
Throughout the press conference, Patrick reiterated his position that banning the products outright is the only viable path forward and cast doubt on whether the Senate would participate in a regulatory effort.
“I will not sign a bill that legalizes marijuana in Texas. I will not gavel it down, because that’s what he’s asking the Legislature to do.”
In response to Patrick’s accusations, a spokesperson for Gov. Abbott said the governor “has always shared the Lieutenant Governor’s desire to ensure that THC products are not sold to our children and that the dangerous synthetic drugs that we have seen recently are banned.”
“SB 3 was well intentioned but legally flawed and this is why he is putting it on the special session agenda so that it can be fixed, improved and signed into law. We should not risk years of potential legal battles when we can fix the bill and protect kids now,” he added.
The public clash over Senate Bill 3 marks a rare instance of open disagreement between Patrick and Abbott. While the two leaders have occasionally diverged on policy, they’ve generally maintained a united front in public.
One of the few prior examples came during the 2023 legislative session, when the two sparred over how best to deliver property tax relief. Patrick pushed for raising the homestead exemption, while Abbott favored using state funds to buy down local school tax rates.
That standoff stretched across two special sessions before a compromise was ultimately reached.
