Texas Legislature Takes Steps Toward the Decriminalization of Marijuana

It probably won't make it much further but it was a small victory for those hoping to see recreational marijuana in Texas.

According to reports, it's the first time a committee has approved a bill to decriminalize the possession of marijuana. The state House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee passed House Bill 507 late Monday.

There were strange bedfellows involved as three Democrats joined Tea Party Republican David Simpson of Longview in the the 4-2 vote. The measure would make possession of less than half an ounce of pot a civil infraction instead of a Class B Misdemeanor.

Granted, there is little chance of this becoming in a law in the conservative controlled legislature, but it shows that perhaps lawmakers are starting to lean towards at least decriminalization. It seems that medical and recreational use are still going to be a tough sell at this point.