The Bastrop City Council has voted to overturn a voter-approved ordinance that would have decriminalized marijuana possession, making it the only one of 11 ballot measures rejected by the council.
Bastrop, Texas.
In November, Bastrop residents overwhelmingly approved the initiative, which would have prevented arrests and criminal charges for possessing up to four ounces of marijuana. Instead, individuals caught with small amounts would have faced a civil infraction similar to a traffic ticket. Despite this strong voter support, with 70% in favor, the City Council voted 3-2 to reject the measure, reversing the decision made by the electorate in the city of approximately 11,000 people.
The ordinance was part of a broader movement across Texas, with similar decriminalization measures passing in multiple cities, including Lockhart and Dalas. In previous years, cities like San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin, Denton, and Harker Heights have adopted similar policies. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has actively sought to challenge them in court, but his lawsuits have already been thrown out in two cities.
While Bastrop’s City Council has blocked the local marijuana reform, other cities in Texas continue to fight to keep their voter-approved decriminalization laws in place.
