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Congress·In Committee·H.R. 8378

Pets Belong with Families Act

Rep. Lawler Introduces Bipartisan Bill to End Breed and Weight Restrictions for Pets in Public Housing

This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the House Committee on Financial Services for review. It is considered active, but no further meetings or votes have been scheduled at this time. There is no companion bill currently linked to this proposal.

Legislative Progress

House
Senate
President
Law
Could go either way

The bill has support from both parties which helps its chances but many housing bills struggle to get a full vote in Congress.

Key Points

Housing

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Life & Work

Renters living in public housing would benefit from stronger pet ownership rights and lower financial barriers to keeping pets. The deposit cap at 10% of monthly rent and the requirement to spread payments over at least 3 months reduces the upfront financial burden on low-income tenants. The ban on withholding deposits for non-pet damage also protects tenants from unfair charges when they move out.

A public housing agency may not withhold a pet deposit described in paragraph (1) for damage unrelated to the pet, including due to ordinary wear and tear.
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ImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Programs

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Apr 20, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Apr 20, 2026

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.

News

No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Pets Belong with Families Act

Bill NumberHR 8378
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(6)
D: 4R: 2

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.