House committee rejects bills to reduce pot penalties

AUSTIN -- A state House Committee on Friday rejected three bills aimed at reducing penalties for possession of marijuana in Texas, dealing a setback to supporters of a longshot cause who hoped for at least a symbolic victory this legislative session.

The sponsor of the most prominent of the proposals said it still has a chance, however.

That measure, House Bill 507, which would make possession of less than an ounce of pot a civil infraction in line with a traffic ticket, instead of a class B misdemeanor, lost by a vote of 3-2.

The sponsor, Democrat Joe Moody of El Paso, said the loss may have been due to some committee members not attending the hearing. Two members were seen as potential supporters were absent -- Reps. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg and Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi.

"I'm hopeful that there will be a possibility to resuscitate it this session," said Moody, noting the hearing revealed some issues with the bill that could be addressed.

The committee also voted down House Bill 325 and 414, from Houston Democrats Gene Wu and Harold Dutton, respectively, each of which would reduce possession of a small amount of marijuana to a class C misdemeanor.

The committee did not vote on Rep. David Simpson's more dramatic House Bill 2165, which, essentially, would legalize pot completely. Simpson, a tea party-backed Longview Republican, drew attention by saying, "everything that God made is good, even marijuana."

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have taken jail time off the table for those caught with small amounts of pot.

Texas is not seen as a likely candidate to become the 20th state, but supporters had hoped to at least get a marijuana bill out of committee this session to make progress toward full passage in the future.