Prop A supporter pursues referendum after Harker Heights council overturns marijuana decriminalization ordinance

HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas (KWTX) - Supporters of decriminalizing up to four ounces marijuana are fighting back after the Harker Heights City Council voted to overturn Proposition A.

Around 64 percent of voters approved the city ordinance in the November election, but last week, the Harker Heights City Council approved a different ordinance to repeal Proposition A.

Now Louie Minor, Bell County Precinct 4-elect, is trying to collect enough signatures for a referendum to overturn that ordinance that overturned the proposition. Minor previously volunteered with the organization “Ground Game Texas” to gather support for both the Killeen and Harker Heights measures.

“The referendum will do one of two things, the city council can either accept it or send it back to the voters,” Minor said.

The Harker Heights City Charter states that “a petition signed by … at least twenty-five percent of the number of votes cast at the last regular municipal election … can request that an ordinance be repealed.”

Minor estimates he will need roughly signatures from 340 Harker Heights voters from the last regular city election in May 2021 for the referendum. The November 2022 was a special election and the May 2022 one had no contested races.

“People are already starting to organize and get this ball rolling because we only have a short window to do it,” Minor said. “I don’t think there’s going to be any problem with meeting that goal.”

That short window is just 14 days to collect enough signatures for the referendum per the charter. If the city council does elect to send the referendum back to the voters, Harker Heights residents would likely re-vote on Proposition A in the May 6 2023 election.

Harker Heights assistant city manager Jerry Bark released the following statement to KWTX News 10:

“Ground Game Texas has the right to assemble peacefully and to petition the city for a redress of the ordinance ‘Proposition A’. The City of Harker Heights is not taking a position on marijuana laws, it is simply duty bound by the Texas constitution and Texas law.

COPYRIGHT 2022. KWTX TV. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.