HB 1496
AN ACT relating to the use, possession, delivery, or manufacture of
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
This Texas bill exempts individuals from prosecution for possessing, delivering, or manufacturing testing equipment designed to detect fentanyl and its derivatives. The legislation allows people to use fentanyl test strips and similar tools without legal penalties, potentially helping to reduce accidental overdoses by enabling users to identify the presence of dangerous substances. By removing legal barriers to drug testing equipment, the bill aims to provide a harm reduction approach to the ongoing opioid crisis.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to the use, possession, delivery, or manufacture of testing equipment that identifies the presence of fentanyl, alpha-methylfentanyl, or any other derivative or controlled substance analogue of fentanyl. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 481.125, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subsection (j) to read as follows: (j) This section does not apply to a person who uses, possesses with the intent to use, delivers, possesses with intent to deliver, or manufactures with intent to deliver testing equipment that identifies the presence of fentanyl, alpha-methylfentanyl, or any other derivative or controlled substance analogue of fentanyl. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Bill Sponsors
Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the use, possession, delivery, or manufacture of
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