One of the biggest positive steps for marijuana reform in Texas in 2017 happened here in Dallas. On Dec. 1, the city began issuing citations, rather than making arrests, for possession of less than 4 ounces of marijuana. Those busted are still subject to the same penalties as they were before Dec. 1, but Dallas' small step forward came after years of false starts and hard work. In other Dallas County cities, those arrested for pot possession alone will be released on personal recognizance bonds once they are processed, rather than being required to pay bail.
At the state level, the Texas Legislature has taken a similar path, inching toward reform in the 2015 and 2017 legislative sessions and creating optimism among marijuana reform advocates about what's possible during the next session of the legislature in 2019.
