San Antonio councilmembers explore marijuana legalization
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A group of San Antonio city councilmembers wants the city to study the economic impacts of legalizing marijuana.
Why it matters: Just a week ago, it was unthinkable that blue San Antonio could ever legalize or regulate marijauana in bright-red Texas, with only a limited medical marijuana program. But the calculus has changed now that Democrats have swept statewide offices.
Catch up quick: Democratic Lt. Gov.-elect Vikki Goodwin said before the election that she supports legalizing cannabis.
- Outgoing Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has been staunchly opposed to all marijuana use, and had pushed for a ban on THC products.
Zoom in: District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez filed the policy proposal Thursday with the support of Councilmembers Sukh Kaur, Edward Mungia, Teri Castillo and Ric Galvan — a largely progressive bloc of the City Council — to study legalized marijuana.
- The study would look at other cities that have legalized marijuana, and distinguish between the effects of medical and recreational use.
- The request asks for a review of the impacts of legalization on tax revenue, consumer spending, job creation and more.
State of play: McKee-Rodriguez wants the results of the study to inform the city's legislative agenda, which determines the issues that the city lobbies the state for when the new Legislature meets in January.
What they're saying: "The purpose of the request is to inform our community," McKee-Rodriguez said in a statement. "Should the effects of legalization prove to be an economic and public health benefit to San Antonio and the state of Texas, we should mobilize in support of legislation that will make this possible, including a regulatory framework."
- The San Antonio chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America supported the move, writing in an Instagram post that "this is only the beginning."
The big picture: Goodwin has said she wants to undo current restrictions on THC, and Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa has said Texans should vote on the future of THC.
Yes, but: THC business owners told the Texas Tribune that an election wouldn't offer immediate relief.
- Plus, a federal ban on hemp-derived THC products is set to take effect next month.
Flashback: San Marcos voters in 2022 approved a local measure to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana. But it didn't last — outgoing Attorney General Ken Paxton sued, and the courts sided with him, saying the city's measure conflicted with state law.
What's next: The City Council's Governance Committee has about two months to take up the proposal and decide where it goes from there.