H.R. 1456House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Marijuana Justice Act of 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 2:28 AM UTC

The Marijuana Justice Act of 2019 removes marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act’s Schedule I, ending the federal ban on its import, export, and related activities. It also targets states where marijuana arrests or incarcerations disproportionately affect minorities or low‑income people by cutting off certain federal prison‑related funding and directing those funds to a new Community Reinvestment Fund. The bill adds provisions for expunging past federal marijuana convictions, allowing resentencing, and giving individuals a right to sue states for discriminatory enforcement.

Key Provisions

Deletes “marijuana” and “tetrahydrocannabinols” from Schedule I, effectively descheduling the drug and removing federal import/export prohibitions.
Amends related statutes to align with the descheduling, removing references to marijuana throughout the Controlled Substances Act and related laws.
Defines “covered State” as any state that has not legalized marijuana and sets criteria for “disproportionate arrest” or “incarceration” rates affecting minorities or low‑income residents.
Bars covered states with disproportionate rates from receiving any federal funds for building or staffing prisons or jails, and reduces other federal grant funding by up to 10 %.
Creates a Community Reinvestment Fund, funded by the withheld amounts and additional appropriations ($500 million per year 2020‑2042), to support job training, re‑entry services, expungement costs, libraries, community centers, youth programs, and health education in communities harmed by the drug war.
Requires federal courts to expunge all prior federal marijuana use or possession convictions.
Allows individuals still serving federal marijuana sentences to request a resentencing hearing that could reduce their sentence under the new law.
Provides a civil right of action for individuals harmed by disproportionate enforcement, allowing courts to order states to lose prison‑related funding and to reduce other grant amounts.

Legislative Activity

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5 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

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

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

April 8, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 28, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Financial Services, 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.

Judiciary Committee

February 28, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

March 1, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.

Federal Lands Subcommittee

March 19, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee

March 27, 2019

HouseCommittee

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

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

April 8, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 28, 2019

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1456

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 28, 2019

Ms. Lee of California (for herself, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Khanna, Ms. Norton, Mr. Rush, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Tlaib, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Perlmutter, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Green of Texas, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Correa, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Richmond, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Adams, and Ms. Fudge) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Financial Services, 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

A BILL

To amend the Controlled Substances Act to provide for a new rule regarding the application of the Act to marihuana, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Marijuana Justice Act of 2019.

De-scheduling marihuana

(a)

Marijuana removed from schedule of controlled substances

Subsection (c) of schedule I of section 202(c) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812) is amended—

(1)

by striking marihuana; and

(2)

by striking tetrahydrocannabinols.

(b)

Removal of Prohibition on Import and Export

Section 1010(b) of the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (21 U.S.C. 960) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1)—

(A)

in subparagraph (F), by inserting or after the semicolon;

(B)

by striking subparagraph (G); and

(C)

by redesignating subparagraph (H) as subparagraph (G);

(2)

in paragraph (2)—

(A)

in subparagraph (F), by inserting or after the semicolon;

(B)

by striking subparagraph (G); and

(C)

by redesignating subparagraph (H) as subparagraph (G);

(3)

in paragraph (3), by striking paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) and inserting paragraphs (1) and (2);

(4)

by striking paragraph (4); and

(5)

by redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), and (7) as paragraphs (4), (5), and (6), respectively.

(c)

Conforming amendments to Controlled Substances Act

The Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.) is amended—

(1)

in section 102(44) (21 U.S.C. 802(44)), by striking marihuana,;

(2)

in section 401(b) (21 U.S.C. 841(b))—

(A)

in paragraph (1)—

(i)

in subparagraph (A)—

(I)

in clause (vi), by inserting or after the semicolon;

(II)

by striking (vii); and

(III)

by redesignating clause (viii) as clause (vii);

(ii)

in subparagraph (B)—

(I)

by striking clause (vii); and

(II)

by redesignating clause (viii) as clause (vii);

(iii)

in subparagraph (C), in the first sentence, by striking subparagraphs (A), (B), and (D) and inserting subparagraphs (A) and (B);

(iv)

by striking subparagraph (D);

(v)

by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (D); and

(vi)

in subparagraph (D)(i), as so redesignated, by striking subparagraphs (C) and (D) and inserting subparagraph (C);

(B)

by striking paragraph (4); and

(C)

by redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), and (7) as paragraphs (4), (5), and (6), respectively;

(3)

in section 402(c)(2)(B) (21 U.S.C. 842(c)(2)(B)), by striking , marihuana,;

(4)

in section 403(d)(1) (21 U.S.C. 843(d)(1)), by striking , marihuana,;

(5)

in section 418(a) (21 U.S.C. 859(a)), by striking the last sentence;

(6)

in section 419(a) (21 U.S.C. 860(a)), by striking the last sentence;

(7)

in section 422(d) (21 U.S.C. 863(d))—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking marijuana,; and

(B)

in paragraph (5), by striking , such as a marihuana cigarette,; and

(8)

in section 516(d) (21 U.S.C. 886(d)), by striking section 401(b)(6) each place the term appears and inserting section 401(b)(5).

(d)

Other conforming amendments

(1)

National Forest System Drug Control Act of 1986

The National Forest System Drug Control Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C. 559b et seq.) is amended—

(A)

in section 15002(a) (16 U.S.C. 559b(a)) by striking marijuana and other;

(B)

in section 15003(2) (16 U.S.C. 559c(2)) by striking marijuana and other; and

(C)

in section 15004(2) (16 U.S.C. 559d(2)) by striking marijuana and other.

(2)

Interception of Communications

Section 2516 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(A)

in subsection (1)(e), by striking marihuana,; and

(B)

in subsection (2) by striking marihuana,.

Ineligibility for certain funds

(a)

Definitions

In this section—

(1)

the term covered State means a State that has not enacted a statute legalizing marijuana in the State;

(2)

the term disproportionate arrest rate means—

(A)

the percentage of minority individuals arrested for a marijuana related offense in a State is higher than the percentage of the non-minority individual population of the State, as determined by the most recent census data; or

(B)

the percentage of low-income individuals arrested for a marijuana offense in a State is higher than the percentage of the population of the State that are not low-income individuals, as determined by the most recent census data;

(3)

the term disproportionate incarceration rate means the percentage of minority individuals incarcerated for a marijuana related offense in a State is higher than the percentage of the non-minority individual population of the State, as determined by the most recent census data;

(4)

the term low-income individual means an individual whose taxable income (as defined in section 63 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) is equal to or below the maximum dollar amount for the 15 percent rate bracket applicable to the individual under section 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;

(5)

the term marijuana has the meaning given the term marihuana in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802); and

(6)

the term minority individual means an individual who is a member of a racial or ethnic minority group.

(b)

Ineligibility for certain funds

(1)

In general

For any fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of this Act in which the Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, determines that a covered State has a disproportionate arrest rate or a disproportionate incarceration rate for marijuana offenses, the covered State—

(A)

shall not be eligible to receive any Federal funds for the construction or staffing of a prison or jail; and

(B)

shall be subject to not more than a 10-percent reduction of the funds that would otherwise be allocated for that fiscal year to the covered State under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq.), whether characterized as the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Programs, the Local Government Law Enforcement Block Grants Program, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, or otherwise.

(2)

Funds for certain programming

For purposes of paragraph (1)(A), Federal funds for the construction or staffing of a prison or jail shall not include Federal funds used by a prison or jail to carry out recidivism reduction programming or drug addiction treatment.

(3)

Reallocation

Any amounts not awarded to a covered State because of a determination under paragraph (1) shall be deposited in the Community Reinvestment Fund established under section 4.

(c)

Expungement of marijuana offense convictions

Each Federal court shall issue an order expunging each conviction for a marijuana use or possession offense entered by the court before the date of enactment of this Act.

(d)

Sentencing review

(1)

In general

For any individual who was sentenced to a term of imprisonment for a Federal criminal offense involving marijuana before the date of enactment of this Act and is still serving such term of imprisonment, the court that imposed the sentence, shall, on motion of the individual, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, the attorney for the Government, or the court, conduct a sentencing hearing.

(2)

Potential reduced resentencing

After a sentencing hearing under paragraph (1), a court may impose a sentence on the individual as if this Act, and the amendments made by this Act, were in effect at the time the offense was committed.

(e)

Right of action

(1)

In general

An individual who is aggrieved by a disproportionate arrest rate or a disproportionate incarceration rate of a State may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States.

(2)

Relief

In a civil action brought under this subsection in which the plaintiff prevails, the court shall—

(A)

grant all necessary equitable and legal relief, including declaratory relief; and

(B)

issue an order requiring the Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, to—

(i)

declare the State to be ineligible to receive any Federal funds for the construction or staffing of a prison or jail in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(A); and

(ii)

reduce grant funding of the State in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(B).

Community Reinvestment Fund

(a)

Establishment

There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund, to be known as the Community Reinvestment Fund (referred to in this section as the Fund).

(b)

Deposits

The Fund shall consist of—

(1)

any amounts not awarded to a covered State because of a determination under section 3(b)(1); and

(2)

any amounts otherwise appropriated to the Fund.

(c)

Use of Fund amounts

Amounts in the Fund shall be available to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a grant program to reinvest in communities most affected by the war on drugs, which shall include providing grants to impacted communities for programs such as—

(1)

job training;

(2)

reentry services;

(3)

expenses related to the expungement of convictions;

(4)

public libraries;

(5)

community centers;

(6)

programs and opportunities dedicated to youth;