According to the report, the city of Denton has been slow to implement the marijuana decriminalization ordinance.

DENTON, TX (CBSDFW.COM) – Denton is no closer to implementing a marijuana decriminalization ordinance, according to a new city manager report, more than three months after voters overwhelmingly approved the plan.

Sarah Hensley’s report, one of the ordinance’s requirements, largely reiterates her November stance that the city does not have the authority to enforce anything that would be contrary to state law.

There is nothing in the report, released as part of the city council’s agenda for Tuesday, to indicate whether the city’s leadership has been looking into possible ways to implement the ordinance. It states that marijuana enforcement is still not a priority for the police. Both the police and the city’s communications services declined to answer questions about the report or provide further details until it was presented to the council.

More than 70% of Denton voters supported the idea in November, joining four other Texas cities during that election. A similar resolution was approved by voters in Austin in May.

Denton’s ruling will end charges and arrests for marijuana possession unless it is part of a high-priority police investigation or violent crime. It also prohibits the use of smell as a possible reason for a search and seizure or testing to determine if the substance meets the legal definition of marijuana.

Nick Stevens of Decriminalize Denton, who supported the ordinance, said he didn’t see any good faith effort in the report as the city looked for any means to enforce the will of the voters.

“Democracy wins in the end,” he said. “And the impudence and audacity that any elected official can have to cancel free and fair elections and ignore the will of the people is a bad political move when Republicans, Democrats and independents demand the same thing.”

Stevens said he was told in meetings with city leaders on the issue that the political environment in Denton is different from other cities in Texas that have similar ordinances.

Along with Austin, Killeen, Elgin, Harker Heights and San Marcos, voters approved the proposals last year. The report mentions that Harker Heights reversed this ruling within weeks. It also highlights a legal issue in Killeen and a request for an opinion from the Attorney General in Hay County.

The report states that Denton Police wrote 52 statements regarding marijuana or paraphernalia from November 1, 2022 to January 17, 2023. In 23 of those cases, they were arrested, but all on warrants, trespassing or public intoxication.

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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