San Antonio Justice Charter – Proposition A
This past Feb 16th council meeting, three city council representatives ceased to participate in the vote on decriminalizing marijuana and abortion. Ever the hot button topic, for the upcoming May 2023 municipal election, the issue of abortion rights and legalizing marijuana will be two topics the voters of San Antonio will vote on. Several organizations as well as the Texas attorney general have opposed the vote.
WHAT IS PROPOSITION A
The San Antonio Justice Charter — also known as Proposition A — would decriminalize abortion and low-level marijuana possession. San Antonio police would not be allowed to make any arrests connected with the procedure and the drug should this proposition go into effect.
The proposed charter would include appointing a Justice Director appointed by Council to oversee on any City Council vote affecting the City’s justice policy and analyze the justice impact on city departments as well as banning chokeholds
and no-knock warrants.
PALAEZ, COURAGE AND PERRY WALK OUT ON VOTE
As several citizens lined up to be heard, discussions over the matter came to a fever pitch with District 8 city councilman Manny Palaez, District 10 city councilman Clayton Perry, and District 9 city councilman John Courage deciding not to participate in the voting process. “We’re not going to be participating in a vote that puts an illegal item before the voters,” Peláez said to the San Antonio Express News, referring to the comments made by City Attorney Andy Segovia on the matter being “unenforceable”. “I swore an oath to uphold the laws of Texas, the federal laws and the Constitution, and this amendment does the exact opposite of that.”
PERRY REFUTES
Perry’s refute referenced the recent case in the Texas Supreme Court filed by the Texas Alliance for Life. The Austin-based anti-abortion group proposed splitting the proposition into three separate votes. Perry argued, ““The city is already facing one lawsuit pertaining to issues within this charter amendment, and there are sure to be more in the future…please read and understand the full impacts of the proposed city charter amendment before casting your vote in May.”
Courage cited the validity of the verbiage surrounding the proposition, saying to the San Antonio Express News, “I felt like it doesn’t adequately express to the public when they go to vote what they’re actually voting for, and I have a real problem with putting a petition out there for people to vote on if they really won’t understand all of the implications.”The controversial charter was a result of intense petitioning of 20,000-voter signatures that was submitted to the City clerk’s office on January 10th, 2023, according to the City of San Antonio website.
WHO IS IN FAVOR?
While the aforementioned three members have spoken out, District 2 city councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 2 city councilwoman Teri Castillo have spoken in favor of Proposition A. Molly Smith, in her 2023 article for the San Antonio Express News, writes, “Castillo told the Express-News’ Puro Politics Podcast this month that she is ‘supportive of the spirit of the justice charter.’ McKee-Rodriguez was present in early January when petition organizers submitted signatures to the city clerk for validation.”
All further information surrounding the San Antonio Justice Charter or Proposition A can be found on the City of San Antonio website. Citizens will have a chance to vote “for” or “against” the prop during the municipal election that will take place on May 6th, 2023.
