Houston voters approved Proposition A, which directs the Houston Police Department to make low-level marijuana possession its lowest possible enforcement priority. The city is now moving toward carrying out the measure.
The Houston Police Officers' Union said officers have not received guidance on how to apply the policy. Ray Hunt, the union's executive director, said officers were not involved in drafting the measure. He said officers still contact the Harris County District Attorney's Office when they encounter a possible state-law violation, and that prosecutors decide whether to file charges or refer a person to diversion. Hunt said the city cannot change state law and that clarification should come from the district attorney or the Texas attorney general. He also questioned what the "lowest possible enforcement priority" language means for responding to complaints or detaining people.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office said its approach has not changed and that it has issued no additional guidance. The office also said marijuana charges make up a small percentage of its cases. Marijuana possession remains illegal under Texas law, and Proposition A does not legalize cannabis.