DALLAS — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that he is suing the City of Dallas over a voter-approved measure that would decriminalize carrying a small amount of marijuana in the city. 

What You Need To Know

  • Proposition R–also referred to as the “Dallas Freedom Act”–was on the ballot during the November election

  • With over 66% of the vote, Dallas residents passed the amendment, which decriminalizes possession of less than 4 ounces of cannabis and makes it the lowest enforcement priority for the Dallas Police Department

  • But Paxton argues that “municipalities cannot refuse to enforce Texas drug laws concerning possession and distribution of marijuana”

  • Earlier this year, Paxton sued Austin, Killeen, San Marcos, Elgin and Denton over their ordinances, claiming they violate Texas law

Proposition R–also referred to as the “Dallas Freedom Act”–was on the ballot during the November election. With over 66% of the vote, Dallas residents passed the amendment, which decriminalizes possession of less than 4 ounces of cannabis and makes it the lowest enforcement priority for the Dallas Police Department. 

But Paxton argues that “municipalities cannot refuse to enforce Texas drug laws concerning possession and distribution of marijuana.”

“Cities cannot pick and choose which State laws they follow. The City of Dallas has no authority to override Texas drug laws or prohibit the police from enforcing them,” Paxton said in a statement. “This is a backdoor attempt to violate the Texas Constitution, and any city that tries to constrain police in this fashion will be met swiftly with a lawsuit by my office.”

This isn’t the first time Paxton has sued a city over its decriminalization measures. 

Voters in Austin, Denton, San Marcos, Killen, Elgin and Harker Heights all passed similar measures back in 2022. 

Earlier this year, Paxton sued Austin, Killeen, San Marcos, Elgin and Denton over their ordinances, claiming they violate Texas law. The lawsuits in Austin and San Marcos were dismissed, the ones against Killeen and Denton are still pending, and the City of Elgin agreed to void the ordinance. 

The organization that has pushed for decriminalization measures at the local level, including collecting the signatures needed to get Prop R on the ballot, was Austin-based nonprofit Ground Game Texas. The group even got Texas legend and pot enthusiast Willie Nelson to endorse the proposition. 

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