Texas House Approves Decriminalization Bill

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]O[/dropcap]n April 29, the Texas House of Representatives approved House Bill 63, which would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis. The bill, however, has a slim chance of passing through the Senate, according to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Twenty-four states have decriminalized cannabis so far, and Texas could soon join the list.

The House voted 103 to 43 in favor of the legislation in a final vote. The bill would replace jail time for possession of less than an ounce with a $500 fine. While an earlier version set the fine at $250, it was amended to $500 during a series of compromises. The charges were also raised from a civil infraction to a class C misdemeanor, which is the equivalent of a traffic ticket. Those who are caught with one to two ounces will be charged with a class B misdemeanor and a $2,000 fine.

Local leaders in the cannabis industry applauded the bill as it’s a baby step towards legalization in the state. “Texans have suffered under failing marijuana policies for far too long,” Heather Fazio, director of Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, told Forbes. “Rep. Moody’s bill will help preserve valuable public safety resources and keep a marijuana charge from derailing someone’s life.”

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Joseph Moody, who made amendments in order to make the bill passable in the House. Several earlier versions didn’t move past the House into the governor’s desk. Gov. Greg Abbott, said that they would only support the bill if the punishment is set at a class C misdemeanor.

It’s been 45 years since the #txlege passed marijuana reform. Today, we took a huge step forward when the House supported HB63. The bill would stop 75K Texans from being arrested annually & would save ~$735 million in local tax dollars. #CJReform https://t.co/1KzZGF79Is

— Joe Moody (@moodyforelpaso) April 30, 2019

The bill also paves a way to avoid permanent criminal records, so long as offenders abide by terms of deferral, which will be assigned by judges, and it will also expunge criminal records. Meanwhile, the House also unanimously approved a bill to legalize industrial hemp.