Texas House Committee Passes Measure to Decriminalize Cannabis
For the first time in the state’s history, a legislative committee in Texas has passed a bill to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis.
The Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence approved House Bill 507 with a 4 to 2 vote, moving it to the House Calendars Committee.
The proposal, sponsored by Representative Joe Moody (D-El Paso), would remove the possibility of jail-time, or a criminal charge, for the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis. Instead, those caught possessing such an amount will be hit with, at most, a $250 civil fine.
“Texas cannot afford to continue criminalizing tens of thousands of citizens for marijuana possession each year,” says Representative Moody. “We need to start taking a more level-headed approach. It is neither fair nor prudent to arrest people, jail them, and give them criminal records for such a low-level, nonviolent offense.”
Under current Texas law, those caught possessing up to two ounces of cannabis can be charged with a class B misdemeanor, and imprisoned for up to 180 days.
– TheJointBlog
William E Moody Jr
Please need medical marijuana so I can get off the pills for my by-polar hate the way they make me feel.marijuana will help me with all my ailments.thank you.Vote yes on legalizing marijuana in all forms
Alayna
Leave it to TX to jump on the bandwagon finally and screw it up by making us pay the state instead of recognizing the profit to be made..