Texas legislators file bills aimed at decriminalizing marijuana
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Some Texas lawmakers are high on one big idea for the start of the legislative session: decriminalizing marijuana.
Monday was the first day of bill filing for the 2017 legislative session and according to the Texas Tribune, Lone Star State legislators submitted several proposals to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana. Among the bills are those that would create a specialty court for certain first-time marijuana possession offenders, reduce criminal penalties for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana and re-classify convictions for possession of small amounts of marijuana.
The move comes less than a week after several other states passed measures weakening marijuana restrictions.
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However, marijuana is not the only type of legislation on the agenda for 2017. Between House bills and Senate bills, 527 propositions were filed Monday.
Here are some of the most interesting:
- House Concurrent Resolution 32: The Bowie knife would officially be recognized as the state knife of Texas.
- House Bill 95: Would make Texas exempt from daylight savings time.
- House Bill 64: Abolish the death penalty.
- House Bill 159: Texans could register to vote online.
- Senate Bill 108: Increased punishment for any undocumented immigrant who commits a felony. Those who commit first-degree felonies will face life in prison, under this law.
- House Bill 112: Limits the cost of tuition at public universities in Texas to less than 85 percent of current costs.
- House Bill 221: Would make diapers and tampons tax-exempt.
