Robert Eckels Joins TABC as Chairman

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Big news for Texas and its alcohol industry: Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Robert Eckels to serve as Chairman of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Industry.

I grew up in the Harris County that Eckels led from 1995 to 2007 as County Judge. Under his leadership, the modern Houston landscape developed into the powerhouse it is today – overseeing the development of Enron Field, Reliant Stadium, and the Toyota Center; expanding the Grand Parkway; and, most memorably, managing Harris County’s extraordinary response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when more than 200,000 evacuees from Louisiana arrived on practically no notice.

Judge Eckels takes the reins at an exciting inflection point, to say the least. TABC is navigating multiple initiatives right now:

  • Implementing legislation passed last session through policy and rulemaking.
  • Expanding the AIMS platform, TABC’s online hub, to improve the agency’s internal coordination and business alignment.
  • Maximizing the agency’s public safety enforcement, with endeavors like the joint human trafficking operation with ICE and FBI last March in Houston.

And then there’s the whole “hemp” issue.

The Texas Legislature can’t find a solution to the state’s unregulated THC market and TABC isn’t waiting around for them to fix it. Countless retailers licensed by TABC also sell consumable hemp products (CHPs), including high-potency edibles tailored to minors. On this blog I’ve expressed my views on maintaining public access to CHPs but an unregulated marketplace that tailors to kids is not acceptable.

Governor Abbott directed TABC to address the issue and the agency responded swiftly. Last month, the commission adopted emergency rules (found here) governing CHP sales at all licensed retailers. The key points:

  • Twenty-one and up: Retailers cannot sell CHPs to minors.
  • Mandatory age verification: every CHP purchase must be age verified regardless of the purchaser’s apparent age.
  • One strike policy: Any violation leads to automatic permit cancellation. No warning, no fine, no second chance.

The emergency rules expire in January and could be expanded once for an additional 60 days. But TABC won’t need to do so. The agency has already started the process of making them permanent.

Implementing and enforcing the CHP rules will be Judge Eckel’s first major task as chair. He’s no stranger to tough decisions or complex government operations. He’s up for the challenge.