Rep. David Simpson's Historic Pot Legalization Bill Clears Texas House Panel

[William Tell]

I’m very grateful for the support from my colleagues to continue this important discussion. The version of HB 2165 passed out of committee restricts the sale to minors, but places ultimate control in the hands of parents where it belongs. Repealing prohibition will help many Texans to legally access and responsibly use this plant as an inexpensive and natural treatment of seizures, PTSD, pain and cancer. I believe this limited government and personal responsibility approach is the right way forward for Texas and liberty.

https://www.facebook.com/DavidSimpsonTX/posts/10152821889276404

Pot Legalization Bill Clears House Panel

A proposal to legalize marijuana in Texas will head to the calendars committee, and possibly the House floor, after it was approved by a House committee Wednesday evening.

House Bill 2165 by state Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, would allow possession and delivery of marijuana beginning in September 2015. It would still be illegal to sell the drug to minors. The measure passed the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on a 5-2 vote.

“I don’t believe that when God made marijuana he made a mistake that government needs to fix,” Simpson wrote in a March op-ed in the The Texas Tribune. He said the plant should be “regulated like tomatoes, jalapenos or coffee.”

The measure initially passed on a 5-1 vote, catching at least one member of the committee by surprise: state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, who wasn’t present for the first vote. Leach asked Chairman Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, to take another vote so he could register a vote against the measure. Leach said Herrero knew that he was opposed to legalizing pot. A second vote was taken.

The other no vote came from state Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano.

http://www.texastribune.org/2015/05/06/pot-legalization-bill-headed-house/

 

[presence]

Texas legalization would change the ballgame as its a US / Mexico border state.

 

[nobody's_hero]

So both dissenting votes were from Plano, TX?

Maybe change the name of the town to Plant-no.

 

[Athan]

Fantastic! I'm tired of the worsening conditions in south Texas and other Texas border areas. Good job in Austin!

 

[William Tell]

So both dissenting votes were from Plano, TX?

Maybe change the name of the town to Plant-no.

Yeah, its disappointing, Leach and Shaheen generally vote the right way. Its a shame to see them side with big government here.