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A Breakdown of San Antonio's Proposition A (May 2023)

San Antonio's Proposition A is on the ballot for the May 6, 2023 Joint General Election. But what does the proposed amendment to the City Charter of San Antonio mean?

If adopted, the amendment would:

  • Decriminalize marijuana by ending enforcement of low-level marijuana possession
  • Decriminalize abortions by ending enforcement of abortion laws
  • Adopt Cite & Release (using citations instead of arrests) for low-level misdemeanors 
  • Ban the use of police chokeholds
  • Ban no-knock warrants
  • Create a Justice Director within the city

For examples of support for the amendment, also known as the San Antonio Justice Charter, see ACT4SA.

For examples of opposition to the amendment see Texas Alliance for Life.

 

Full text of the measure as it will appear on the ballot

"SHALL THE CITY CHARTER BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE A JUSTICE POLICY UNDER WHICH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL “USE ITS AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND AUTHORITY TO ACCOMPLISH THREE GOALS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE: FIRST, TO REDUCE THE CITY’S CONTRIBUTION TO MASS INCARCERATION; SECOND, TO MITIGATE RACIALLY DISCRIMINATORY LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES; AND THIRD, TO SAVE SCARCE PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR GREATER PUBLIC NEEDS” AND TO “REDUCE UNNECESSARY ARRESTS AND SAVE SCARCE PUBLIC RESOURCES THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF REFORMS”, INCLUDING: ENDING ENFORCEMENT OF LOW-LEVEL MARIJUANA POSSESSION BY PROHIBITING POLICE OFFICERS FROM ISSUING CITATIONS OR MAKE ARRESTS FOR CLASS A OR CLASS B MISDEMEANOR POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA OFFENSES, EXCEPT IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES; PROHIBITING THE ENFORCEMENT OF ABORTION CRIMES TO PROMOTE THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND PRIVACY OF ALL CITY RESIDENTS AND STATING THAT POLICE OFFICERS SHALL NOT INVESTIGATE, MAKE ARRESTS, OR OTHERWISE ENFORCE ANY ALLEGED CRIMINAL ABORTION, EXCEPT IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES; BANNING NO-KNOCK WARRANTS BY STATING THAT POLICE OFFICERS SHALL NOT OBTAIN A “NO-KNOCK” SEARCH WARRANT, NOR SHALL THEY PARTICIPATE IN SERVING A “ NOKNOCK” SEARCH WARRANT WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND CREATING ADDITIONAL POLICIES CONCERNING THE ISSUING OF WARRANTS; BANNING CHOKEHOLDS WITH NO EXCEPTIONS; REQUIRING POLICE OFFICERS TO ISSUE CITATIONS INSTEAD OF MAKING ARRESTS FOR LOW-LEVEL NONVIOLENT CRIMES DEFINED AS POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE LESS THAN 4 OZ, PENALTY GROUP 2-A (SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS), CLASS A OR BMISDEMEANOR UNDER TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE §§ 481.1161(B) (1) & (2), DRIVING WHILE LICENSE INVALID, CLASS A OR B MISDEMEANOR UNDER TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE § 521.457, THEFT OF PROPERTY LESS THAN $750, CLASS B MISDEMEANOR UNDER TEXAS PENAL CODE § 31.03(E) (2) (A), THEFT OF SERVICE LESS THAN $750, CLASS B MISDEMEANOR UNDER TEXAS PENAL CODE § 31.04(E) (2), CONTRABAND IN A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, CLASS B MISDEMEANOR UNDER TEXAS PENAL CODE § 38.114(C), GRAFFITI, WITH DAMAGE LESS THAN $2500, CLASS A OR B MISDEMEANOR UNDER TEXAS PENAL CODE § 28.08(B) (2) & (3), CRIMINAL MISCHIEF WITH DAMAGE LESS THAN $750, CLASS B MISDEMEANOR UNDER TEXAS PENAL CODE § 28.03(B) (2), AND ALL CLASS C MISDEMEANORS, EXCEPT CLASS C PUBLIC INTOXICATION, WHICH SHALL BE ADDRESSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE SECTION 14.031; AND REQUIRING THE SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL TO APPOINT AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO A JUSTICE DIRECTOR, WITH NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHO WILL BE CHARGED WITH FULFILLING THE JUSTICE POLICY BY PROVIDING A JUSTICE IMPACT STATEMENT BEFORE ANY CITY COUNCIL VOTE AFFECTING THE JUSTICE POLICY AND MEETING QUARTERLY WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES RELATED TO THE JUSTICE POLICY IN OPEN MEETINGS?"

 

Proposition A in the News

 

City Election 2023
Politics