Dallas and Lockhart could become the next Texas cities to decriminalize weed

After winning victories in Austin, San Marcos and other Texas cities, activists are now collecting signatures to get marijuana decriminalization on the November ballot in Dallas and Lockhart, news site Marijuana Moment reports.

The groups Ground Game Texas and Texas Cannabis Collective are leading the latest organizing pushes, according to Marijuana Moment.

Ground Game Texas was involved in successful decriminalization ballot initiatives in Austin, San Marcos, Denton, Elgin, Harker Heights and Killeen. It was also a partner in the San Antonio Justice Charter, a sweeping reform package rejected by voters last May that included decriminalization along with more controversial language requiring police to cite and release anyone charged with a Class C misdemeanor.

The Dallas ballot proposal would prevent law enforcement from busting people on Class A or B misdemeanor cannabis possession offenses unless they’re part of a high-priority felony investigation, according to Marijuana Moment. It would also bar police from considering the scent of cannabis as probable cause for search and seizure.

The Lockhart measure includes largely the same language, the news site reports. However, the initiative also would stop the city from using local resources to test whether cannabis products are comprised of marijuana or legal hemp.

Separately, Lubbock voters are scheduled to decide in May elections whether to pass a decriminalization resolution in that city.

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This article appears in Jan 24 – Feb 6, 2024.