Wilbarger Six other Texas cities have passed marijuana decriminalization ballot measures, to varying effect, and San Marcos has mandatory cite-and-release, as well. | If Aldrete hypothetically did steal a watch, get a ticket and not show up to court, the county could then issue a warrant for his arrest and he could still be arrested at a later time. Bonds are currently limited to public works rather than permanent public improvements, with most bond money in San Antonio going towards streets and sidewalks in past years. Denton Texas requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[11]. KSAT crunched the numbers. The enforceability of the ballot initiative was also in doubt. In 2017, voters approved an $850 million bond package that included funding for drainage and flood control, streets, and parks. If passed, starting January 1, 2026, when funding for the Ready to Work SA Workforce program expires, the 1/8th cent sales tax revenue would be reallocated to VIA. Cite and release exists today as a voluntary, collaborative initiative that began in 2019 among the Bexar County District Attorneys Office, the San Antonio Police Department and the Bexar County Sheriffs Office for certain criminal offenses. Click here for the Texas Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information. Cities | Proposition A, also known as the San Antonio Justice Charter, was added to the ballot in February after ACT4SA collected over 20,000 signatures, more than the required amount for a. Sutton Rusk Officials also said the program has saved Bexar County $5.6 million dollars in booking costs to date. Kimble Wood What is Proposition B in San Antonio? KSAT Explains Crane But they dont have to if they dont want to. There are often fines involved. The charter was amended to include that language in 1997, Assistant City Attorney Ray Rodriguez said. 'Prop B' Raises Questions Of Police Accountability In San Antonio Fix SAPD calls the defund label for Prop B a scare tactic. Dickens Madison Gaines James Byrd Jr. Texas Tribune Festival Texans will decide eight proposed amendments to the state Constitution on Nov. 2. Howard Example video title will go here for this video. The following list of accepted ID was current as of February 2023. This proposition is connected to the City of San Antonio Proposition B. Texas is divided between Central and Mountain time zones. State legislature | Loving Reagan ", A Breakdown of San Antonio's Proposition A (May 2023), San Antonio Council Members Walk Out on Vote - Residents Won't Do the Same, What is San Antonio's Prop A? Nueces Find the full text of Proposition A ballot language in the San Antonio Reports 2023 city election guide. For some, the many provisions of the proposed charter amendment are now familiar. San Antonio Safe PAC, a business group that opposed the proposition, released the following statement: San Antonio voters made the right call. Police use of chokeholds came under a magnifying glass afterGeorge Floydwas murdered in 2020 by a Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes. The union argues theyre already talking about possible changes, so why rid them of collective bargaining? Ward We know at the end of the day, in the long run, the people will always win over big-money interests.. San Patricio Nonprofit journalism for an informed community. Haskell Nirenberg: Lowering the petition threshold creates numerous problems for citizens. Prop A San Antonio: Why Mayor Ron Nirenberg says he's against it This means an officer is instructed to not arrest an individual for that crime and instead give them a ticket with instructions to appear at a county office and turn themselves in. So the process of negotiating that contract is in the groups crosshairs. Registering to vote has long passed. San Antonio housing prices are soaring as San Antonio continues to have a low housing stock. San Antonio Proposition A was on the ballot as a referral in San Antonio on May 7, 2022. The cite-and-release program would give some offenders the opportunity to go through a diversion program that would get their case dismissed and allow the crime to be expunged from their record. . Jackie Wang covered local government for the San Antonio Report. Chokeholds have been banned under SAPD policy since 2014, with the exception that an officer can use a chokehold on a suspect if someones life is in danger. People have to make a profit for this to happen, she said. [5], In January 2019, the Texas secretary of states office announced that it would be providing local election officials with a list of registered voters who obtained drivers licenses or IDs with documentation such as work visas or green cards. Bexar County, Texas ballot measures - Ballotpedia Texas Proposition 2, Authorize Counties to Issue - Ballotpedia Burleson Data from 2016 already showed there were 50,000 San Antonio residents who pay more than 50% of their income for housing, he said. U.S. Congress | Atascosa They say its happened 10 times over 10 years. By now, youve probably heard about the effort to repeal San Antonio police officers collective bargaining power. Andrews A "yes" vote supportedauthorizing the city of San Antonio to issue $471,557,000 in bonds to fund projects on streets, bridges, and sidewalks. The KENS 5 Voter Team is going over three propositions in San Antonio. Here's what some District 1 candidates think of it. The San Antonio Safe PAC and Protect SA has already spent money on commercials which claim Prop A would decriminalize shoplifting or theft of services and that activists want no arrests and no jail time.. They would also have to compile an annual impact report with specific analysis of the justice impact of each City department., The amendment would also require the city manager to give the justice director access to information that would allow the director ongoing monitoring and analysis of the citys justice impact., Senior Reporter Iris Dimmick covers public policy pertaining to social issues, ranging from affordable housing and economic disparity to policing reform and mental health. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote. Coryell If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Voters will also decide on bonds for San Antonio ISD and Alamo Heights ISD. San Antonio once again increases homestead exemption Kent Brown It covers things like hirings, promotions and benefits. Edwards Aquifer - The City of San Antonio Counties would then be able to require voters on the list to provide proof of citizenship within 30 days. If Prop A passes, City Council must appoint a justice director who has not previously worked in law enforcement to reduce the citys contribution to mass incarceration, mitigate racially discriminatory law enforcement practices and . Its why activists in communities across the nation are calling for police reform. Hansford Fifty-six percent of respondents to the most recent Bexar Facts survey said they were at least leaning toward approval, while 27% said they were thinking about voting against. Proposition A will remove limits placed on the city charter's use of bond money more than two decades ago. Steve Spriester interviews San Antonio Police Officer Association President Danny Diaz about Prop A's defeat. ), (Graphic: SAPD jobs won back through arbitration.). Once a subject is arrested, a magistrate judge determines a bond amount, and if the subject can pay, theyre free to go. Texas does not practice automatic voter registration. The police union says that without the immediate threat of jail, criminals will have no incentive to stop committing these crimes while residents and businesses will suffer. They say the amendment will lead to increased recidivism and an overall increase in crime. Cannabis and abortion will remain criminal offenses in San Antonio at least for now as advocates of the sweeping criminal justice reform referendum Proposition A conceded the race around 7 . Now . Thats a peeping-tom and we can tie that in to sexual assault. Dallam This amounts to 69.8 percent of fired officers who appealed their terminations being brought back to the force from 2010 to summer 2020. In other words [a bond proposal] would still have to go through City Council for approval to put on a ballot that citizens would still have to approve. SAN ANTONIO - In the upcoming election, Texans will be asked to decide if they want a new fund created to help support cities' plans to control flooding in the future. Ten of those officers got their jobs back through arbitration. Cameron Angelina When the proposition was added to the ballot in February, Act4SA and proponents of the initiative asked for the wording to be simplified and spelled out more clearly for voters and easier translation into Spanish. The Texas Secretary of States office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website. Credit: Scott Ball / San Antonio Report He graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University in 2013. Hall Is the Stanley Quencher tumbler worth its TikTok hype? David Ibaez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000. Diaz also says that the creation of a justice director would be redundant, performing duties already handled by the mayor, city manager, city council members, and the police chief. If adopted, the amendment would: Decriminalize marijuana by ending enforcement of low-level marijuana possession Decriminalize abortions by ending enforcement of abortion laws The its the same as the current policy claim. Jim Hogg The proposition is asking voters to approve a 1/8th cent sales tax that will be used to boost the citys workforce. However, the officer would also need to request supervisor approval and include the approval in a report according to new rules in the proposition. Shelby Parker San Antonio's Proposition A is on the ballot for the May 6, 2023 Joint General Election. Over glasses of margaritas and plates of Mexican food, police union supporters rallied Sunday against Proposition B, a measure on the May 1 . Real Montague The proposition is asking voters to renew a 1/8th cent sales tax to continue Pre-K 4 SA for eight more years. For starters, it means nearly constant paralysis, as every decision made by. 2023 Nonprofit journalism for an informed community. Today is Election Day. There are 8 state constitutional - TPR Brazoria Proposition C: $272 million for 82 parks, recreation and open space improvement projects. State executives | From July 2019 through December 2022, the initiative has saved $5.6 million in booking costs by redirecting nearly 7,500 bookings to citations, according to the countys website. Comal For examples of support for the amendment, also known as the San Antonio Justice Charter, see ACT4SA. Paul Flahive can be reached at Paul@tpr.org and on Twitter at @paulflahive, Texas Public Radio | Bexar Webb The program would be funded up to December 31, 2025. Whoops! Molly Smith , Staff writer April 5, 2023 Johnny Perez stands behind a table of pro-police and anti-proposition A yards signs during a city council candidate forum hosted by the Asian American. The abortion portion alone could face multiple lawsuits, said Michael Ariens, a professor at St. Marys University School of Law. District 1 candidates debate Proposition A - San Antonio Express-News If passed, the city would redirect the funding that was used for Edwards Aquifer protection to the Ready to Work SA Workforce program. And I would hope people would understand that, but that could be an unpleasant surprise later on.. Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Jasper But the ordinance approved by City Council in February to set the ballot also included the full text of the charter language. [11], Voters who are unable to provide one of the ID options listed above can sign a Reasonable Impediment Declaration and provide one of the following supporting documents:[11], The following voters are exempt from showing photo ID:[11], Voters who do not have a photo ID can obtain a Texas Election Identification Certificate (EIC) at any Texas drivers license office during regular business hours. Newton Prospective voters can request a postage-paid voter registration form online or complete the form online and return it to the county voter registrar. Section 180 of Prop A, which can be read here, states a ticket or verbal warning, rather than arrest, shall be issued for individuals charged with committing the following offenses, and then lists eight groups of offenses that apply. Floyd Gov. Abbott chimes in on San Antonio amendment. Gets it wrong. - mySA Cherokee The bonds were set up originally in the mid-90s to help fund infrastructure projects like streets and drainage and building things that were responsible for across the city.. Counties | Garza Hardeman (Largest Texas cities with police collective bargaining circled. Can you help us by taking a few minutes to fill out a survey? But most City Council members hope the next bond program in 2022 could include funding for affordable housing by changing the charter language to allow use of bond money for public purpose., Shall the City charter be amended to allow the City to issue bonds for permanent public improvements or any other public purpose not prohibited by the Texas Constitution or the general laws of the state of Texas, to include affordable housing programs in scope and breadth as determined by the ordinance of the City Council following an election on that matter?. Last year, San Antonio City Council issued a symbolic resolution that condemned Texas abortion ban and recommended that no local funds be used to investigate criminal charges related to abortions. . Calhoun Related: Prop A is at top of mind for many voters. Eastland Watch this video for clarification on some of the biggest questions surrounding the Prop B debate. Trinity Opponents began celebrating just minutes after early vote totals posted. Kleberg Val Verde Its not just arbitration thats been highlighted as one of the aspects of the collective bargaining agreement that needs a closer look. "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 CITYS 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 OFMARIJUANA 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 AJUSTICE 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? And right now, its a major debate. For people who support affordable housing, even if they dont fully understand it, theyll say yes, and people who dont want any public money for affordable housing, theyre just going to say no, and thats fine, she said. Comanche But then theres a whole other aspect to this, which, even though it doesnt seem like the immediate intent, is to use this flexibility for something other than affordable housing.. Harrison Wharton These contracts are set up by certain laws. Nolan 'The fight continues': Local leaders call for progress at annual Cesar Chavez march. including Proposition B, which is . In the '2020 State of Transit presentation, Jeff Arndt, the VIA Metropolitan Transit President and CEO, said they were hoping to roll out the VIA Re-imagined plan but the pandemic hit. In Austin, city officials created a policy that ended cite and release for small amounts of marijuana after residents passed the proposition with 85% of the vote in May 2022. The ballot language does not include all the nuances and exceptions that, if the measure passes, would be written into the citys charter. When it comes to hiring, firing and discipline -- think of Chapter 143 as a baseline. This would expand existing policy. Im concerned it is going to turn into a larger scale and perhaps abused form of funding going directly to the developers instead of those in need of immediate housing, Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda (D6) said in February. It is every bit as important as our streets, roads, bridges, highways, our transit system, our sewer and water systems, our electric grid systems, our health system, and education systems.. Dawson Williamson Voter Guide: San Antonio Election - San Antonio Express-News There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Activists argued that if Prop A were to pass he should enforce the will of the voters. City of San Antonio - Proposition A The proposition is asking voters to renew a 1/8th cent sales tax to continue. Grimes Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Dallas Steven Santana is a digital reporter and pop culture weeb born and raised in San Antonio. This back and forth has been a huge point of contention in this debate. San Antonio voters overwhelmingly reject Prop A Willacy San Antonio Election: Proposition A results | kens5.com Given that these candidates agree on most issues, the divide over Prop A looms large in. Pecos Bexar County is already enforcing a cite and release program and the others would conflict with state law. Hunt Antonio Brown - Antonio Tavaris Brown Sr. (born July 10, 1988) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. Julia Gannaway, an attorney who represents Texas cities in negotiations and civil service issues, said to her knowledge no city has been successful in repealing 143. (KSAT) SAN ANTONIO - Proposition A was defeated by a large margin of 28-72 Saturday night. Senior reporter Iris Dimmick contributed to this article. The amendment would end enforcement of low-level marijuana possession by prohibiting police officers from issuing citations or mak[ing] marijuana offenses and from using the odor of marijuana to justify search or seizure. Sherman Hill San Antonio is the only major Texas city that restricts bond money to public works. Since 2019, the District Attorneys office has declined to prosecute criminal possession of marijuana cases if the amount is less than 1 ounce. And then it happens again, in some other city in the United States. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Collective bargaining is a process in which a union and their employer, in this case the city, determine wages, hours and working conditions for all the employees the union represents: police officers. The current contract allows officers accused of wrongdoing to get 48 hours notice before speaking with internal investigators. Nor would a citation prevent the police or district attorney from investigating or prosecuting a crime. Before those proposals go to the voters next May, the City gathers input from committees made up of citizen volunteers. Mike Siegel, the Political Director of Ground Game and Ananda Tomas of ACT 4 SA sort boxes containing more than 37,000 signatures to decriminalize marijuana among other issues slated for the May ballot. Lamar Scurry Texas does not allow same-day voter registration. In addition, the organization provides more than $4 million a year in grants to area schools and childhood development centers. The ultimate goal was to repeal two local government codes that, among other things, provide protections for police officers under investigation. The union argues arbitration has rarely given an officer his or her job back. Which is also in the current contract. WHAT IS PROPOSITION A The San Antonio Justice Charter also known as Proposition A would decriminalize abortion and low-level marijuana possession. This is what Proposition A proposes. 5 teens were killed in a car that swerved off a road and sank in a will decide a proposition on the May 6 ballot, Buc-ee's opens biggest store yet in Tennessee, dethroning New Braunfels, Bill Miller's chicken strips have San Antonians questioning everything, Lovable Brady Bunch star immersed herself in San Antonio-area church, San Antonians annoyed by CPS Energys demand day ranking spam, Bexar County Medical examiner rules airport worker's death a suicide. Austin San Antonio's Prop A would reform policing, decriminalize abortion Similar propositions were passed in Denton, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin, and Harker Heights in December 2022, banning cite and release for less than 4 ounces of marijuana and removing marijuana smell as a probable cause. Thats why Fix SAPD wants Chapter 143 to be repealed, too. Taylor Proposition A: The issuance of $252,300,000 of bonds by the Judson Independent School District for school facilities and the levying of a tax in payment thereof.This is a property tax increase. If the individual completes the terms of their diversion program, the record is sealed. Edwards Archer Under Proposition 1, the City of San Antonio will continue the watershed protection and preservation projects initiated in 2000 and continued through 2010. But Chapter 174 is only the first step in Fix SAPDs plan to reform the police department. Repealing 143 requires roughly 80,000 signatures collected in 180 days. Chapter 143 also says only the police chief can view an officers personnel file, not the media or the general public. Heres what we found out. Bowie Twenty were brought back by the police chief, which in some cases happens because it becomes too expensive for the city to uphold an officers firing through the arbitration process. Those who cant pay, go to jail. Under Proposition A, an officer could only issue an arrest for a citation-eligible offense if they couldnt identify the person or if the accused person demanded to be taken before a magistrate. Gregg According to that data, roughly one in four suspects cited for theft have been able to avoid an arrest and conviction by completing the program. Prop A would prohibit the enforcement of abortion crimes performing or facilitating an abortion by not allowing police officers to investigate, make arrests, or otherwise enforce any alleged criminal abortion except in cases of coercion. SAN ANTONIO Six bonds totaling $1.2 billion have been approved by City of San Antonio voters in election results posted Saturday night by the Bexar County Elections Department. Goliad Castro [3] " And Prop B allows us to go ahead and change all of those things.. Brazos Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Still, in the case of a theft: If a person was cited, the citation had the correct information, the person who was cited didnt show up to county court and an arrest warrant was issued, then that individual could still eventually be arrested for theft of less than $750 if Proposition A passes. San Antonio Mayor Nirenberg urges voting against Prop A As a result, 97% of marijuana citations have been rejected, according to the countys website. Think of it as collective bargaining light. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; Anderson Ochiltree How do we do that when it comes to prosecuting people? While the proposition, spearheaded by the activist group ACT 4 SA, has already grabbed headlines as an attempt to decriminalize marijuana and abortions, businesses said their concerns fall squarely on the ballot measures cite-and-release policy for theft and other crimes. But what does the proposed amendment to the City Charter of San Antonio mean? Prop A sought to enshrine in our City Charter the exact sorts of measures that brought disastrous consequences to cities like San Francisco, Portland and Austin. Last summer, local woman Oji Martin founded a group called Fix SAPD. ", Voters who have a religious objection to being photographed. Cass Collin Crockett In Texas, all polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time.