The recent appeals court ruling invalidated Austin's marijuana decriminalization ordinance, causing confusion among residents. However, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis clarified that there will be no immediate changes in enforcement, as the APD will continue its current practice of not arresting individuals for low-level marijuana possession. The ruling specifies that local ordinances cannot conflict with state law, but the APD is unlikely to pursue minor offenses due to limited resources and challenges in differentiating between hemp and marijuana.
"For now, we're still going with the way we were policing before," Davis said.
"When you're talking about the possession of small amounts of marijuana, that may be the most common criminal offense in Austin, Texas, and virtually every other city in the country," Vela said.
"...the appeals court ruling does not change APD's ability to decide what crimes should be prioritized."
"The city's law department is still analyzing the ruling, but for the time being, APD will continue to not hold or arrest people for marijuana possession."
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