Texas AG Sues Cities Over Marijuana Decriminalization

Overview

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against five Texas cities – Austin, Denton, San Marcos, Killeen and Elgin – over their marijuana amnesty and non-prosecution policies.
• The cities had enacted laws decriminalizing marijuana one to three years ago, directing police and prosecutors to deprioritize pressing charges against people holding small amounts of cannabis.
• Paxton argues that these policies violate Texas drug laws and the Texas constitution, which he says forbids cities from adopting policies that result in not fully enforcing drug-related laws.
• The lawsuit comes amid a broader push by the conservative state government to exert authority over its left-leaning cities.
• Paxton's move has been criticized by some as an anti-democratic assault on the constitutional authority of Texas Home Rule cities to set local law enforcement priorities.