Texas Democratic Representative Joe Moody introduced a bill that would make low-level cannabis possession exempt from arrest or jail time and allow offenders to have cannabis-related offenses eventually removed from their criminal histories. The nine-member House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee unanimously passed the legislation on Tuesday.
Similar marijuana decriminalization bills were passed by the Texas House of Representatives in the 2019 and 2021 legislative sessions, but both failed in the Texas Senate. The components of both of Texas’ most recent attempts at decriminalizing marijuana are included in Moody’s Bill 218.
It is anticipated that some conservatives will oppose the bill. Texas lawmakers will scrutinize Bill 218 more closely. The House Calendars Committee is now scheduling the bill’s floor action, according to the chron.com post.
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Decriminalizing Marijuana in Texas
A week later, the commission heard testimony about the issue at a hearing. There was a 9-0 vote in the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. Possession of marijuana would no longer be considered a crime in Texas, according to a congressional panel.
Moody claims that the court will drop the charges if the accused cooperates. On the individual’s request, the complete record can be removed. By leaving with a lighter wallet, they remain clear of any criminal history.
A Texas lawmaker, Rep. Jessica González, proposed House Bill 1937, letting local governments in counties and municipalities decide whether to legalize marijuana for recreational consumption.
According to Gonzales, recent research indicated that most of Texas favored legalizing cannabis use in some capacity. She said that local communities should be given the opportunity to decide whether to legalize cannabis in the way that is best for them.
The law would enable adults 21 and older to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, including no more than 15 grams of cannabis concentrates if local governments were to adopt it.
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