BASTROP, Texas — Marijuana decriminalization remains a topic of discussion among Bastrop voters and city council members.
This week, the council declined to amend its current policies punishing the possession of low levels of weed, despite most residents supporting the change, according to KVUE’s partners at the Austin-American Statesman.
The proposed change, called Proposition M, would make it so that those in possession of four ounces or less of marijuana would not get penalized by law enforcement within city limits.
Back in November, 69.79% of Bastrop residents -or roughly 3,000 people- voted in support of the amendment, just several months after the verification of the city’s “Bastrop Freedom Act.”
The movement was backed by the support of nonprofit Ground Game Texas, which implemented similar efforts in Lockhart. According to the Statesman, three council members voted against the decriminalization efforts, while two others supported the change.
All other amendments discussed on Tuesday were approved in Bastrop, the Statesman reports. These include implementing a $400 monthly payment to the city’s mayor. Earlier this month, former Mayor Lyle Nelson resigned amid a continued controversy, making way for Mayor Pro Tem John Kirkland to temporarily assume the role.
Despite Bastrop voters’ efforts, marijuana remains illegal across Texas. Even still, cities like Austin do not penalize those who possess small amounts of weed.
The Texas capital city voted for the Austin Freedom Act in 2022, but last year, state Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit to fight this policy. The suit was later dismissed by a Travis County judge.