Texas bill would allow cities and counties to make call on whether to legalize cannabis

As Texas continues to lag behind the rest of the country in cannabis reform, a Democrat in the Texas House of Representatives has introduced a bill to let the state’s municipalities and counties decide whether to legalize recreational weed.

House Bill 1937, filed by State Rep. Jessica González of Dallas, would enable municipalities to make the call whether to green light recreational weed inside their jurisdictional areas.

Adults 21 and over could possess up to 2.5 ounces of pot, including up to 15 grams of cannabis concentrates, under the bill — or up to 10 ounces in their homes. In turn, the proposal would impose a 10% tax on all cannabis products, which would fund regulation, testing and school funding.

González’s bill comes as activist groups in San Antonio and other cities introduce measures seeking to decriminalize small amounts of cannabis. Voters in Austin and San Marcos have already approved similar measures.

While recent polls show Texans overwhelmingly support legalizing cannabis for recreational use, it would need to clear a Republican-controlled Texas Legislature. What’s more, GOP Gov. Greg Abbott has made it clear that while he favors lowering pot-possession penalties, he doesn’t support legalization.

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This article appears in Feb 8-21, 2023.