The Texas House of Representatives has taken a major step towards decriminalizing marijuana possession in the Lone Star State. On Tuesday, the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee voted 9-0 to advance a bill proposed by Rep. Joe Moody (D) to remove the risk of arrest or jail time for possessing small amounts of cannabis.
The proposed legislation has the potential to be a major milestone for marijuana reform in Texas, as this is the first time a bill to decriminalize marijuana possession has made it out of committee. If passed into law, the bill would make it so that possession of up to one ounce of marijuana would be punishable by a civil penalty rather than a criminal one.
The bill is supported by a large coalition of marijuana reform organizations, including the Last Prisoner Project, dead prez, and Keep Austin Weed. These organizations have been advocating for decriminalization for years, citing the disproportionate impact that criminalization has had on people of color. In addition, they point to the economic benefits of decriminalization, such as reducing the amount of money spent on enforcing marijuana laws.
A panel of Texas lawmakers heard testimony Tuesday on the proposed bill, with many testifying in favor of decriminalization. Some of the arguments made included that decriminalization would reduce the burden on the Texas criminal justice system, and that it would bring the state in line with the majority of other states in the country. Twenty-one states in America have legalized cannabis, and twenty-seven states have decriminalize the use of cannabis. In a recent study, researchers found that marijuana decriminalization is associated with fewer police stops and racial disparities.
Despite the support for the bill, many opponents of decriminalization remain. Some argued that decriminalization would lead to increased usage of marijuana and lead to the potential for more addiction and health risk. Others argued that decriminalization would send the wrong message to children and young people.
However, the bill was eventually approved by the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, paving the way for the bill to proceed to the Texas House of Representatives. It is unclear if the bill will pass the full House, as there is still some opposition to decriminalization in the state.
No, Texas likely will not legalize weed this year. Though one of several bills to decriminalize marijuana recently passed a legislative committee, the chances of it becoming law are slim. The pattern has become we have a legislative session, and some incremental progress is made towards decriminalizing cannabis.
Nevertheless, the approval of the decriminalization bill by the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee is a major step forward for marijuana reform in Texas. If the bill passes the full House, it could potentially be a major victory for advocates of marijuana reform in the state.
