Proponents of decriminalizing marijuana in Dallas have submitted nearly 50,000 signatures to place their initiative on the Dallas ballot this November, well more than the required amount.
Ground Game Texas, a campaign known for spearheading local cannabis reform efforts across the state, announced on Monday that they delivered the signatures to City Hall. The signature drive began in January. Should the petitions be verified and the measure approved by voters, possession of up to four ounces of marijuana would be decriminalized in Dallas, the third-largest city in Texas by population.
Despite collecting more than the required 35,000 signatures, some City Council members aim to streamline the process through legislative action. Councilmember Chad West plans to introduce the proposal at a hearing on Wednesday, aiming to save the city the costs of verifying ballot signatures.
If enacted, the measure would prevent police from making arrests or issuing citations for Class A or B misdemeanor cannabis possession offenses, except in cases involving high-priority felony investigations for narcotics or violent crimes. Additionally, Dallas police would be prohibited from considering the odor of marijuana or hemp as probable cause for searches or seizures.
The city manager and police chief would be required to provide quarterly reports to the Dallas City Council on marijuana possession arrests or citations.
Catina Voellinger, executive director of Ground Game Texas, says “The Dallas Freedom Act is just that, it’s part of a larger movement that rejects division, creates the change we all deserve, and in true Texan spirit, unapologetically demands it now. From our signatures on the petition to our collective votes on the ballot, this is our power, our voice, our moral receipt, this is our Texas movement.”
Recently Travis County District Court Judge Jan Soifer dismissed a lawsuit from Attorney General Ken Paxton filed against the City of Austin for passing a similar marijuana decrim ordinance.
