On Tuesday, the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee will hear testimony on H.B. 254, which would reduce the penalty for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana to the equivalent of a traffic ticket. Chances like this don't come around too often in Texas. So, let's show our support. There are three things you can do to help. 1. Pack the room. We need supportive -- and appropriately dressed -- activists to attend the hearing. The more supporters we have, the more lawmakers will realize that this is an issue that simply won't go away. The hearing will be held in Austin in room E2.016 in the capitol building on March 8, at 2:00 p.m. Please e-mail mmckey@mpp.org if you are interested in testifying. 2. Urge the committee members to support the bill. Please visit http://mpp.org/TX/action.html to use our electronic system to send a letter to the committee members supporting H.B. 254. It takes only a moment, but it can make a huge difference. Or, if you prefer to call these legislators, visit https://ssl.capwiz.com/mpp/dbq/officials/?lvl=L to find their names and numbers. And visit http://mpp.org/TX/letters_81.html to get talking points. State legislators truly do listen to their constituents. According to former U.S. Congressman Billy Evans (D-GA), "Legislators estimate that 10 letters from constituents represent the concerns of 10,000 citizens. Anybody who will take the time to write is voicing the fears and desires of thousands more." http://mpp.org/TX/action.html 3. Pass this alert on to your friends and family and tell them to repeat steps one through three. H.B. 254, introduced by Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston), would spare those possessing small amounts of marijuana from having to serve jail time. The bill would make possession of less than one ounce of marijuana a Class C misdemeanor. Under current law, possession of less than two ounces of marijuana is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail. http://mpp.org/TX/action.html (Please visit http://www.mpp.org/TX/bills_1006.html to see the bill.) Commenting on H.B. 254, Rep. Dutton stated that Texas has "been tough on crime for the last decade or so, and now it's time to be a little bit smart on crime." http://mpp.org/TX/action.html Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. With enough citizen pressure, March 8 will mark a significant turning point in Texas' marijuana policies.
By Matt Frazier, Star-Telegram Staff Writer Source: Star-Telegram Texas -- Instead of handcuffs and jail time, people caught in possession of an ounce or less of marijuana could get a ticket and lose their driver's licenses for six months under a bill before the Legislature. House Bill 254, sponsored by state Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, would make possession of an ounce or less of marijuana a Class C misdemeanor, the category of most traffic violations. The offense is now a Class B misdemeanor. Offenders would have to undergo drug counseling. The change would save the state millions, if not billions, in prison and court costs over the long run while giving casual marijuana users the opportunity and assistance they need to become drug-free, Dutton said. "It's not a matter of being soft on crime, it's more a matter of being smart on crime," Dutton said. "This would free up the state's resources to deal with major crimes." Current law assesses the same punishment for possession of a few seeds of marijuana as it does for as much as 2 ounces. Citations for Class B misdemeanors can carry fines up to $500. The driver's license suspension was added to the penalty to comply with federal drug laws. Otherwise, the state would lose about $200 million a year in federal highway funding. The penalty would increase to a Class B misdemeanor with the third conviction. Opponents of the bill say that decreasing the penalty for possession of lesser quantities will send the wrong message and lead to greater use of marijuana. "Kids already think marijuana is normal and harmless," said Castleberry High School student Erin Stubbs, a member of a county student coalition against drugs. "It's not a good idea." Many Texans do not seem to be taking that message to heart, Dutton told the Criminal Justice Committee at a recent hearing on the bill. Dutton said that according to FBI statistics, about 52,000 people were arrested in Texas on marijuana charges in 2002. Of those, 49,839, or 97 percent, were charged with simple possession of a small amount of marijuana. Prosecuting those 97 percent cost taxpayers about $490 million while straining the capacity of county jails and the caseloads of parole officers, he said. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Austin chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws testified in support of the bill. Thirty-five percent of the Texans arrested for simple possession of marijuana are ages 15 to 19; people ages 20 to 24 make up 28 percent of those arrests, said Judie Niskala with NORML. "Passage of House Bill 254 will assure that the youthful indiscretions of tens of thousands of otherwise law-abiding citizens will not result in the lifelong indignity and lack of opportunity that accompanies a criminal record," Niskala told committee members. The Texas Justice Court Judges Association is neutral on the bill, Collin County Justice of the Peace Terry Douglas told the committee. No one spoke against the bill at the public hearing. But at a marijuana-education workshop Tuesday, John Haenes, juvenile drug court supervisor for Tarrant County Juvenile Services, said: "We are against any decriminalization or penalty reductions. It creates a problem for us when we try to convinces youths that they should not be using marijuana." The workshop was sponsored by the Tarrant County Challenge Coalition. About 90 counselors and intervention specialists from area school districts and organizations talked about the hazards of marijuana and ways to persuade teen-agers not to use the drug. • A Houston representative says his bill would save the state millions of dollars while directing casual drug users into counseling. Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (TX) Author: Matt Frazier, Star-Telegram Staff Writer Published: March 24, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Star-Telegram Contact: letters@star-telegram.com Website: http://www.star-telegram.com/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20405.shtml