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<\/div>\nLUBBOCK \u2014 An effort to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana in Lubbock is moving forward, despite Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton suing five cities this week for doing the same.<\/p>\n
Lubbock Compact, the organization behind the proposed initiative, said Paxton\u2019s decision to sue Austin, San Marcos, Killeen, Denton, and Elgin for decriminalizing marijuana goes against what those voters have shown they want.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was actually on the ballot. People came out and made their voices heard,\u201d said Adam Hernandez, communications chair for Lubbock Compact. \u201cIt\u2019s extremely authoritarian.\u201d<\/p>\n
Texas lawmakers have long resisted calls to legalize recreational marijuana, and medical use is highly restrictive. This is why some cities have sought to at least decriminalize possession of small amounts. Voters overwhelmingly passed the ordinances, with 70-85% in favor in all five cities.<\/p>\n
Lubbock residents have been working to join that trend over the last few months. Lubbock Compact circulated a petition and collected more than 10,000 signatures to get the proposal in front of the city council, which rejected the ordinance. Mayor Tray Payne previously said it contradicts state law.<\/p>\n
In light of Paxton\u2019s lawsuit, Hernandez said Lubbock Compact\u2019s plans have not changed and hopes other cities also pursue decriminalization.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about showing state leadership where people\u2019s sentiment is in a very real way,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cOne would hope they see voters showing up by the tens of thousands, and know that\u2019s not a small thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hernandez added, \u201cAll we\u2019re trying to do is keep people out of jail for personal marijuana use. We\u2019re not even trying to fully legalize it.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a statement announcing the lawsuit, Paxton said the five municipalities adopted policies that went against state law and violated the Texas Constitution.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis unconstitutional action by municipalities demonstrates why Texas must have a law to \u2018follow the law.\u2019 It\u2019s quite simple: the legislature passes every law after a full debate on the issues, and we don\u2019t allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce,\u201d Paxton said.<\/p>\n
His office did not respond to a request from The Texas Tribune for comment regarding Lubbock\u2019s upcoming election.<\/p>\n
Lubbock residents will vote on the matter in May.<\/p>\n
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2024\/02\/08\/lubbock-texas-decriminalize-marijuana-ken-paxton\/.<\/p>\n
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.<\/p>\n
Topics<\/span> Lawsuits<\/a> Texas<\/a> Cannabis<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Was this article valuable?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n