Lubbock to Decriminalize Marijuana? A Preemption Conflict in Texas

On this episode: This weekend on Saturday, May 4th, Lubbock is looking to become the 6th city or locality in Texas to try and decriminalize the possession of a small amount of cannabis. Ordinances have passed in Austin, San Marcos, Killeen, Denton, and Elgin with upwards of 70% in favor in each vote, but have yet to have meaningful implications, as Texas’s Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued to block them from going into effect.  What does all that mean for Proposition A in Lubbock? And how might preemption–where the overarching law of a state overrules a local ordinance or law–factor into its fate?  Texas Tribune Reporter Jayme Lozano joins to bring us the story on the ground, while Ballotpedia Marquee Staff Writer Joel Williams shares how preemption conflicts work when it comes to marijuana specifically.  More on Lubbock Proposition A: https://ballotpedia.org/Lubbock,_Texas,_Proposition_A,_Marijuana_Decriminalization_Initiative_(May_2024)  Read Jayme’s reporting: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/08/lubbock-texas-decriminalize-marijuana-ken-paxton/  How do Preemption Conflicts work?: https://ballotpedia.org/Preemption_conflicts_between_state_and_local_governments  Sign up for our Newsletters: https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia_Email_Updates  Stream "On the Ballot" on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you have questions, comments, or love for BP, feel free to reach out at [email protected] or on X (formerly Twitter) @Ballotpedia. *On The Ballot is a conversational podcast featuring interviews with guests across the political spectrum. The views and opinions expressed by them are solely their own and are not representative of the views of the host or Ballotpedia as a whole.