Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick speaks at a press conference at the Texas Capitol on Monday, June 23, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Patrick hosted a press conference in response to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s decision to veto Senate Bill 3, which would have banned the sale of THC products in Texas.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick described Gov. Greg Abbott's late Sunday night veto of Senate Bill 3, the legislation that would ban legal marijuana in Texas, as "surprising."Political observers said having the two top state leaders at odds with each other is raising questions about a possible split within the Republican-run state.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who led the ban on hemp-derived THC products, said Abbott is proposing "for us to legalize marijuana in Texas — by regulating it."