Bill > HB4813

This bill modifies the Texas Health and Safety Code to update how controlled substances are scheduled in the state, specifically creating a new provision for substances approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill allows the state commissioner to quickly delete or reschedule a controlled substance if it has been approved for medical use by the FDA and subsequently deleted or placed on a lower schedule under federal law. Previously, the commissioner had a more complex process for updating controlled substance schedules, which included holding public hearings and publishing detailed objections. The new subsection (g-1) streamlines this process, requiring the commissioner to act "as soon as practicable" to match federal scheduling changes for FDA-approved medical substances. The changes will apply only to controlled substances deleted or rescheduled under federal law on or after the bill's effective date of September 1, 2025. This modification aims to keep Texas's controlled substance schedules more closely aligned with federal regulations, potentially making it easier to update the legal status of certain medications with minimal bureaucratic delay.

Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB4813