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HR 1455 116th Congress House Crime and Law Enforcement Administrative law and regulatory procedures Civil actions and liability Criminal procedure and sentencing Drug, alcohol, tobacco use State and local government operations

REFER Act of 2019

Introduced: February 28, 2019 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 8, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Mar 1, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Feb 28, 2019
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 28, 2019
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Restraining Excessive Federal Enforcement & Regulations of Cannabis Act of 2019 or the REFER Act of 2019

This bill limits restrictions on and penalties for certain cannabis-related activities that are authorized by state or local law (i.e., state-authorized).

Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of funds made available by Congress to a federal department or agency

  • to restrict the state-authorized use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of cannabis;
  • to detain, prosecute, sentence, or initiate civil proceedings against an individual, business, or property involved in state-authorized cannabis-related activities; or
  • to penalize a financial institution for providing financial services to a business engaged in state-authorized cannabis-related activities.
What's happening now April 8, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
 Cosponsors 7
All 7 Democratic 6
D
Correa, J. Luis
California · Sep 10, 2019
 D
Cohen, Steve
Tennessee · Apr 15, 2019
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · Mar 5, 2019
Gabbard, Tulsi
· Feb 28, 2019
 D
Khanna, Ro
California · Feb 28, 2019
 D
Neguse, Joe
Colorado · Feb 28, 2019
 D
Pressley, Ayanna
Massachusetts · Feb 28, 2019
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1455: REFER Act of 2019. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1455/
MLA
"H.R. 1455: REFER Act of 2019." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1455/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1455, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1455/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1455: REFER Act of 2019](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-1455/)
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