Tuesday, April 20, 2021
On 19 April 2021, the House of Representatives passed the “Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2021”
1 by a vote of 321-101. The bill was approved on a significantly bipartisan basis as 106 Republicans (approximately 50 percent of the caucus) joined 215 Democrats in favor. In 2019, a similar version of the legislation passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 321-103, including 91 Republicans in favor (only 46 percent of the caucus).
The significant increase in Republican support coincides with the growing trend of legalization of medicinal and adult-use cannabis products at the state level over the last two years. Since the bill was first passed, seven states have legalized adult-use cannabis.
4/20 Marijuana Legislative Update | Husch Blackwell LLP jdsupra.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from jdsupra.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Published Wednesday, April 21, 2021
by Brianna Kraemer | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) Colorado Governor Jared Polis is leading an effort backed by 20 other state and territory governors to encourage Congress to pass legislation that would allow cannabis-legal states to operate under a new banking system.
The proposed federal legislation would allow banks and credit unions to provide their services to state-licensed cannabis-related businesses such as marijuana dispensaries.
Currently, the nationally recognized Controlled Substance Act places harsh legal risks and liabilities on financial institutions that work with cannabis businesses due to the substance still considered illegal at the federal level. This results in disincentivizing institutions from working with state-licensed cannabis businesses.
By Rebekah Gonzalez
Apr 21, 2021
Lawmakers approved the bill and sent it to the Senate in a 321-101 vote, reports
Banks have reportedly avoided doing business with companies that sell marijuana products out of fear they could run into conflict with federal laws.
The bill, known as the SAFE (Secure and Fair Enforcement) Banking Act, states that proceeds from legitimate cannabis companies and businesses would not be considered illegal and federal regulators would craft rules for how they would supervise banking activity.
“Banks find themselves in a difficult situation due to the conflict between state and federal law, with local communities encouraging them to bank cannabis businesses and federal law prohibiting it,” the American Bankers Association wrote in a letter to lawmakers on Monday. “Congress must act to resolve this conflict.”
House passes CUNA-backed SAFE Banking Act in bipartisan vote cuinsight.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cuinsight.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.