San Antonio to vote on police reform, marijuana decriminalization
When ACT4SA launched the charter petition in October 2022, organizers were pushing for 36,000 signatures even though the required amount is 20,000 for a charter to be placed on the ballot. Tomas said that it’s always good to have a cushion of signatures that undergo a verification process.
She said that the city clerk verified 20,600 and stopped since ACT4SA had enough, but Ananda says the organization verified 23,000 signatures when they turned in the charter petition. Now the charter will be on the ballot on May 6.
San Antonio Justice Charter
The San Antonio Justice Charter is calling for sweeping police reform and justice measures for the Alamo City, including the decriminalization of the marijuana, a huge jump from Bexar County’s cite and release program for low level marijuana offenses that was passed in 2018.
Here is what is in the S.A. Justice Charter:
- Decriminalize marijuana.
- Decriminalize abortions in San Antonio.
- Adopt cite and release on low level misdemeanors.
- Ban police use of chokeholds.
- Ban no-knock warrants.
If the charter is approved, San Antonio would join six other cities in Texas that voted to decriminalize marijuana, including Denton, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin, Harker Heights, and Austin.
What comes next?
Tomas says ACT4SA is working on the language for an education campaign to inform San Antonio voters what will be on the ballot in May. She does, however, expect pushback.
“I think there’s there’s going be a lot of folks opposing this and spreading disinformation,” Tomas says.
She says there will be opposition on the decriminalization of abortion, which will combat Texas trigger laws that went into effect last year. Tomas reminds voters that San Antonio is a home rule city and a charter, giving the Alamo City the power to make ordinances such as the ones proposed in the charts.
“So this is San Antonio making their minds up and their decision on abortion, on no-knock warrants, on chokeholds and finally on making our voices heard from a city council that has done little to move in any direction for our rights in several years,” Tomas says.
