December 17, 2025
Ms. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services
To provide that an individual who uses marijuana in compliance with State law may not be denied occupancy of federally assisted housing, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Marijuana in Federally Assisted Housing Parity Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Amendments to United States Housing Act of 1937
The United States Housing Act of 1937 is amended as follows:
(1) Drug-related criminal activity defined
In section 3(b)(9) (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(9)), by inserting before the period at the end the following: , except that such term shall not include any such manufacture, sale, distribution, use, or possession of marihuana (as such term is defined in such section) that is in compliance with the law of the State in which such manufacture, sale, distribution, use, or possession takes place
.
(2) Currently engaging in the illegal use of a controlled substance and drug-related criminal activity defined
In section 6 (42 U.S.C. 1437d)—
(A)
in subsection (l), in the last sentence after paragraph (9)—
(i)
by striking paragraph (5)
and inserting paragraph (6)
; and
(ii)
by inserting before the period at the end the following: , except that such term shall not include any such manufacture, sale, distribution, use, or possession of marihuana (as such term is defined in such section) that is in compliance with the law of the State in which such manufacture, sale, distribution, use, or possession takes place
; and
(B)
in subsection (t)(7)(C), by inserting before the period at the end the following: , except that such term shall not include the use of marihuana (as such term is defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)) that is in compliance with the law of the State in which such use takes place
.
(3) Drug-related criminal activity defined
In section 8(f)(5) (42 U.S.C. 1437f(f)(5)), by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following: , except that such term shall not include any such manufacture, sale, distribution, use, or possession of marihuana (as such term is defined in such section) that is in compliance with the law of the State in which such manufacture, sale, distribution, use, or possession takes place
.
Sec. 3. Amendments to Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998
Subtitle F of title V of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 is amended—
(1)
in section 576 (42 U.S.C. 13661)—
(A)
in subsection (b)—
(i)
in paragraph (1), by striking Notwithstanding
and inserting Except as provided in paragraph (3) and notwithstanding
;
(ii)
in paragraph (2), by inserting other than the use of marihuana described in paragraph (3),
after controlled substance
each place such term appears; and
(iii)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(3) State law exception
A public housing agency or an owner of federally assisted housing may not establish standards prohibiting admission to the program or federally assisted housing to any household with a member who engages in the use, distribution, possession, sale, or manufacture of marihuana (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)) in compliance with the law of the State in which such use, distribution, possession, sale, or manufacture takes place.; and
(B)
in subsection (c), by adding after and below paragraph (2) the following flush matter:
For the purposes of this subsection, the term
criminal activityshall not include the use, distribution, possession, sale, or manufacture of marihuana (as such term is defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)) that is in compliance with the law of the State in which such use, distribution, possession, sale, or manufacture takes place.;
(2)
in section 577 (42 U.S.C. 13662), by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(c) State law exception
For the purposes of this section, the term
illegal use of a controlled substanceshall not include the use, distribution, possession, sale, or manufacture of marihuana (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)) that is in compliance with the law of the State in which such use, distribution, possession, sale, or manufacture takes place.;
(3)
in section 579, by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(4) State
The term
Statemeans a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.; and
(4)
by inserting the following new section after section 579:
580. Enforcement; smoke-free zones
(a) Enforcement
The Secretary may not prohibit or otherwise discourage any activity involving the use, distribution, possession, sale, or manufacture of marihuana in federally assisted housing that is in compliance with the law of the State in which such activity takes place.
(b) HUD smoke-Free zones
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the Marijuana in Federally Assisted Housing Parity Act of 2025, the Secretary shall issue regulations that restrict smoking marihuana in federally assisted housing in the same manner and same locations as the Secretary restricts smoking tobacco in public housing under subpart G of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
(c) Marihuana defined
In this section, the term
marihuanahas the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802).