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Texas Legislature 2019

Will Texas decriminalize marijuana this year? There is growing support.

The repercussions Texans face for possessing small amounts of pot — something several states no longer consider criminal — can all depend on where in the state they live. Some lawmakers want an across-the-board relaxation of criminal charges. But stigma fuels lingering opposition.

Sydney Sigler, 26, holds her daughter in her home in Robinson, Texas on Feb. 26, 2019.

Texas Legislature 2019

The 86th Legislature runs from Jan. 8 to May 27. From the state budget to health care to education policy — and the politics behind it all — we focus on what Texans need to know about the biennial legislative session.

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In urban counties, a relaxed approach

Sydney Sigler's probation papers for posession of two ounces or less of marijuana. She's concerned that harsher crimes, like DUIs and revenge porn, receive minor sentences while posession of small amounts of marijuana has made her a "criminal". Robinson, Texas. Feb. 26, 2019.
Sydney Sigler, 26, changes her daughter's diaper in her home in Robinson, Texas on Feb. 26, 2019.

Signs of progress, but no consensus

Advocates are unwavering

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“No one should go to jail for this.”

Portrait of Sydney Sigler, 26, inside her home in Robinson, Texas on Feb. 26, 2019.

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Criminal justice Politics State government 86th Legislative Session