Houston Voters Pass 'Freedom Act': Marijuana Misdemeanor Enforcement Made Lowest Priority, No-Knock Warrants Banned

Voters in Houston, Harris County, Texas, approved Proposition A, known as the Houston Freedom Act, in the November 3 election, with early reported results showing approximately 72% support. The measure makes enforcement of certain misdemeanor marijuana possession offenses the Houston Police Department's lowest law enforcement priority, and prohibits Houston police from requesting or participating in no-knock search warrants, requiring officers to announce their presence and wait at least 15 seconds before entering. The no-knock issue gained attention following the deadly 2019 Harding Street police raid.

The measure also states that marijuana remains illegal under Texas law, and the amendment does not prevent officers from enforcing state possession laws. What changes is the city's enforcement priorities and warrant rules.

The vote was one of several local decisions across Texas. The same day, Houston-area voters rejected approximately $2 billion in proposed school bonds, including a $1.6 billion package from Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, and Collin County voters rejected $817.5 million in infrastructure spending. Election officials say counting continues and final results await official certification.

Related: Early Voting Opens on Houston's Proposition A: Lowest-Priority Marijuana Enforcement and a Ban on No-Knock Warrants

(Source: The Box Houston)

Source: The Box Houston

Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图：休斯顿市政厅。Michael Barera 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。GSM 城市固定图库。 / Photo: Houston City Hall. By Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. GSM city asset library.

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