Fireworks News

Dallas to crack down on illegal fireworks and gunfire over New Year's

These are illegal to fire off yourself.

New Year's Eve is here and in some neighborhoods, that brings more than champagne toasts: namely, fireworks and idiots firing off guns.

This is despite the fact that fireworks are illegal year-round in Dallas, and it is also illegal to discharge a firearm within city limits.

The Dallas Police Department is stepping up its campaign to nip that in the bud, including a partnership with Dallas Fire Rescue to monitor their possession and illegal deployment.

According to a DPD release, teams will patrol four key areas in Dallas: Central, Southeast, Southwest, and South Central. Each of the four teams will include one Dallas Fire Rescue Fire Inspector and one Dallas Police Officer.

Police department spokesperson Demarcus Black says they're trying different ways to tackle what is an annual issue.

"We still have officers answering other calls, and the police department continues to function, but it's something we deal with every year and we can't ignore," he says. "That's one of the reasons we've enlisted the Fire Department to work with us, and city marshals as well."

Whether there are ever any actual arrests made is another subject. Police activity is usually limited to confiscation and a possible citation despite the fact that the penalty for fireworks can include a citation and a firne of up to $2,000, and the fine for shooting a gun can include a year in jail and up to a $4000 fine. Discharging a firearm could also result in a deadly conduct charge which carries a penalty of two to ten years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

holidays

Weed News

Texas Rep. Jessica González of Dallas files bill to legalize marijuana

Redheaded Blackbelt

undefined

Texas Rep. Jessica González of Dallas has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana