Call your senator today and ask them to improve and pass HB 1535!

With just a few days left in the legislative session, the medical cannabis expansion bill is getting close to the finish line!

Yesterday, the Senate State Affairs Committee unanimously passed (9-0) a bill (HB 1535) that would expand the state’s low-THC cannabis program. The bill has already been approved by the House of Representatives and is now cleared for a vote by the full Senate.

Please call your senator to improve and pass HB 1535.

Disappointingly, the bill was amended to reduce the cap on THC from 5% to 1% by weight. (The current cap is 0.5%.) The committee also amended the qualifying conditions: The bill now expands the program to include PTSD but omits chronic pain.

The legislative session is set to end on May 31. Ask your senator to stand with patients and improve the state’s low-THC cannabis program before session ends.

Thank you to our allies at Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, who are working hard to improve and pass this legislation. Please call your senator today, and stay tuned for future updates!

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Check out our allies’ Texas Marijuana Policy Voter Guide.

Early voting in Texas started today — Tuesday, October 13 — and lasts until Friday, October 30, and Election Day is November 3!

In past years, comprehensive cannabis bills have been proposed, but only modest reforms — such as a limited, low-THC medical cannabis program — have passed. This year, Texans have the opportunity to vote in a new legislature that could reform the state’s outdated cannabis laws.

Our allies at Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy surveyed candidates for the Texas House, Texas Senate, U.S. House, and U.S. Senate on where they stand on a range of cannabis policies. Check out the voter guide ahead of the upcoming election to find out candidate responses to the survey, as well as voting records for incumbents.

You can find out if you’re registered to vote here and find out when, where, and how to vote here.

State legislative races are often close contests that can be decided by just a few votes. Don’t miss out on a chance to decide who will represent you in Austin and vote on Texas’ cannabis policy in the 2021 session.

After you’ve had a chance to look at the voter guide, be sure to spread the word by forwarding this message to friends and family and sharing the voter guide on social media.

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Earlier this week, the Texas Legislature adjourned after its 140-day legislative session. This year's session brought successes and setbacks. Prohibitionists went to great lengths to keep the status quo and some of their reefer madness unfortunately worked.

What Passed:

Industrial Hemp Legalization – HB 1325 legalizes industrial hemp in Texas and establishes a regulatory structure so that Texans may soon start growing hemp.

Limited Low-THC Medical Cannabis Expansion – HB 3703 removes the two-physician requirement for a medical marijuana card and expands the qualifying conditions to include: epilepsy, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, spasticity, ALS, autism, terminal cancer, and incurable neurodegenerative diseases. It does not change the 0.5% THC cap. HB 3703 is currently on Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.

What Fell Short:

Marijuana Decriminalization – HB 63, which would have replaced possible jail time with a fine, passed in the Texas House but stalled in the Texas Senate after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick made it his mission to kill the bill.

Comprehensive Medical Marijuana Expansion – HB 1365 would have expanded qualifying conditions for medical marijuana, increased the number of dispensaries, and established a research review board that could allow different amounts of cannabinoids. This bill passed in the Texas House but did not receive a hearing in the Senate.

Unfortunately, the Texas Legislature won't be back in session until 2021. That means two more years of patients suffering and needless arrests. We want to congratulate everyone who worked so hard to make progress, including Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy.

Support for marijuana reform is at an all-time high so let's keep our chins up and keep pushing. Together, we can change marijuana laws in Texas.

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Click here to register for Texas Marijuana Policy Lobby Day.

Texas' short legislative session has begun, and over a dozen bills have already been filed to change the state's marijuana policies. A lot of progress has been made since the last time the Texas Legislature was in session, and now is the time to reach out to your lawmakers.

For added impact, talk to your lawmakers in person. Our allies at Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy will be holding a lobby day on Thursday, February 7. The day will start with a legislative advocacy training and then teams will break off to reach out to their specific lawmakers. The two big priorities for this session are decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana and expanding access to medical marijuana.

Be sure to dress professionally and be courteous. If you need help with transportation, DFW NORML and Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition are sponsoring buses from Fort Worth and Houston.

So please, do your best to make it to Austin next Thursday, and be sure bring friends and family. Whether or not you can make it, please use our action form to send a quick email to ask your lawmakers to replace arrests and jail time with a modest fine for marijuana possession. Or, you can ask them to support comprehensive medical cannabis legislation.

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Our allies at Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy released a voter guide for the upcoming election. Early voting starts today, so please check it out, spread the word, and head to the polls!

Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy’s coalition partners surveyed state and federal candidates and provided their unedited responses. They also included voting records from the last two legislative sessions for state-level incumbents.

Find out where your candidates stand.

Early Voting: October 22 – November 2, 2018
Election Day: November 6, 2018

For more information on where, how, and when to vote, visit VoteTexas.Gov.

Unfortunately, Texas doesn’t allow voters to collect petitions to put initiatives on the ballot. Only state lawmakers can initiate changes to the state’s marijuana policies. Who gets elected in November will be key to deciding when and if Texas enacts a medical cannabis law and stops criminalizing cannabis consumers.

So, please get educated and get voting!

Many thanks to Heather Fazio of Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, Texas NORML, and everyone else who worked on the voter guide!

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Marijuana policy reform is on the move in Texas thanks to advocates throughout the state. Trained individuals sharing their experiences with lawmakers have brought about unprecedented progress at the Texas Capitol. Let’s keep up the momentum!

Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy and MPP are hosting a series of events throughout the state to empower individuals who want to effectively advocate for sensible marijuana policies in Texas. We’ll be visiting a city near you — register now to secure your seat.

These hands-on workshops will provide an opportunity to:

- review the political process and learn how you fit in;

- identify effective arguments for discussing marijuana law reform; and

- craft your personal message to lawmakers.

Once you’ve registered, please share this email with others who are interested in advancing liberty by reforming Texas’ unreasonable marijuana laws. You can also follow the workshop series’ live updates on our event page.

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A proposal to reduce penalties for marijuana possession in Texas received bipartisan approval from the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on Monday and will soon be scheduled for a full vote in the House. The measure passed by a vote of 4-2, receiving support from two Democrats and two Republicans.

HB 81, authored by committee Chairman Joe Moody (D-El Paso) and Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs) with 37 co-authors, would remove the threat of arrest, jail time, and a criminal record for possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and replace them with a civil fine of up to $250. Under current Texas law, individuals found in possession of less than two ounces of marijuana can be arrested and given a criminal record, and they face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

“This is a bipartisan proposal that represents a moderate shift in how Texas manages low-level marijuana offenses,” said Heather Fazio, a spokesperson for Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy in a press release. “The state’s current policy of arresting and jailing people for simple marijuana possession is completely unwarranted. Law enforcement officials’ time and limited resources would be better spent addressing serious crimes."

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A proposal to reduce penalties for marijuana possession in Texas received bipartisan approval from the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on Monday and will soon be scheduled for a full vote in the House. The measure passed by a vote of 4-2, receiving support from two Democrats and two Republicans.

HB 81, authored by committee Chairman Joe Moody (D-El Paso) and Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs) with 37 co-authors, would remove the threat of arrest, jail time, and a criminal record for possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and replace them with a civil fine of up to $250. Under current Texas law, individuals found in possession of less than two ounces of marijuana can be arrested and given a criminal record, and they face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

Heather Fazio, spokesperson for Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, released the following statement:

“This is a bipartisan proposal that represents a moderate shift in how Texas manages low-level marijuana offenses. The state’s current policy of arresting and jailing people for simple marijuana possession is completely unwarranted. Law enforcement officials’ time and limited resources would be better spent addressing serious crimes.

No one should be saddled with a lifelong criminal record simply for possessing a substance that is less harmful than alcohol,” Fazio said. “Texans overwhelmingly agree that the punishment for simple marijuana possession should be reduced to a simple fine.”

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To find out where Texas candidates for state senator and state representative stand on marijuana policy reform, we surveyed them, compiled their voting records, and put together a voter guide to make it easy for those of us who consider this issue a priority.

There are two ways to view the results:

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[caption id="attachment_8411" align="alignright" width="250"] Rep. Joe Moody[/caption]

At a press conference held today and hosted by Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, State Representative Joe Moody announced the details of his new bill to stop branding Texans as criminals for possessing up to an ounce of marijuana.  

Many members of our coalition, including Texas District Court Judge John Delaney, the ACLU of Texas, Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition, and the Marijuana Policy Project, joined him for the big announcement.

“Our current marijuana policy in Texas just isn’t working,” Rep. Moody said. “We need a new approach that allows us to more effectively utilize our limited criminal justice resources. This legislation is a much-needed step in the right direction.”

More than 60% of Texas voters support limiting the punishment for possession of up to one ounce of marijuana to a fine of $100 with no possibility of jail time, according to a September 2013 poll conducted by Public Policy Polling.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have removed the threat of jail time for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Now is the time to contact your state legislators. They cannot represent you if they don’t know about your support for this bill! If you are a Texas resident, click here to send an email now. Then, spread the news to your friends and family, so that they, too, can speak out to support more humane and sensible marijuana policies.

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