{"id":68872,"date":"2023-09-27T05:26:13","date_gmt":"2023-09-27T13:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2023\/09\/27\/u-s-senate-committee-approves-bipartisan-marijuana-banking-bill-sending-it-to-the-floor\/"},"modified":"2023-09-27T19:46:34","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T03:46:34","slug":"u-s-senate-committee-approves-bipartisan-marijuana-banking-bill-sending-it-to-the-floor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2023\/09\/27\/u-s-senate-committee-approves-bipartisan-marijuana-banking-bill-sending-it-to-the-floor\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Senate Committee Approves Bipartisan Marijuana Banking Bill, Sending It To The Floor"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

The Senate Banking Committee has approved a bipartisan marijuana banking bill with amendments, sending it to the floor.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, members voted to pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act, sponsored by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Steve Daines (R-MT), in a 14-9 vote. This comes one week after it was filed with revisions that were meant to bolster its bipartisan buy-in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been quite a journey,\u201d Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said at the beginning of the meeting. \u201cRegardless about how you feel about states\u2019 efforts to legalize marijuana, this bipartisan bill is necessary. It will make it safer for legal cannabis businesses and service providers to operate, to protect their workers first and foremost and to operate in their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

NEW: the SAFER Banking Act has passed the Committee with a bipartisan majority. Let\u2019s get this bill to the floor to protect small businesses in the cannabis industry.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Senate Banking and Housing Democrats (@SenateBanking) September 27, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the lead GOP sponsor of the SAFER Banking Act, emphasized that he does not view the legislation as a step toward legalization, which he opposes. But \u201cthe current all cash model of legal cannabis businesses makes him targets for theft, for tax evasion and for organized crime,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe key to addressing this risk is by ensuring that all legal businesses have access to the banking system,\u201d Daines said.<\/p>\n

The committee adopted an amendment from Brown making technical, clean-up changes that are considered non-controversial.<\/p>\n

Watch the Banking Committee markup<\/a> of the SAFER Banking Act in the video below:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/span><\/div>\n
\n

The panel also considered several amendments that were not ultimately adopted.<\/p>\n

Amendments that the committee rejected:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA):<\/strong> Sunset the SAFER Banking Act after five years unless the Department of Treasury, in consultation with other agencies, submits a report to Congress certifying that the measure has decreased the racial wealth gap and ameliorated other negative economic impacts of the War on Drugs<\/p>\n

Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID): <\/strong>Remove and replace Section 10 with language stipulating that federal regulators cannot pressure financial entities to \u201crefuse to provide services to a lawful entity\u201d unless that business is engaged in \u201cunsafe and unsound practices.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amendments<\/b> introduced and withdrawn:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD):<\/strong> Sunset the bill if marijuana is federally rescheduled.<\/p>\n

Amendments ruled not germane to the committee\u2019s jurisdiction:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN):<\/strong> Prevent the \u201claundering of fentanyl and methamphetamine proceeds via marijuana sales.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amendments ruled out of order because the filing did not follow committee rules:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA):\u00a0<\/strong>Require a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study within two years of enactment on the \u201cracial wealth gap and the percentage of minority-owned cannabis-related businesses before and after the passage of the SAFER Banking Act,\u201d according to a summary.<\/p>\n

Members were expected to consider multiple additional amendments on issues such as cannabis industry access to stock exchanges and broad justice-focused marijuana reform<\/a> and more. However, senators did not formally offer those proposals.<\/p>\n

Warnock delivered a speech expressing concerns about the bill as drafted, arguing that it \u201cwill make life safer for bankers for businesses and financial institutions, some of whom have been profiting from the cannabis industry illegally for years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not opposed to easing or undoing federal restrictions around cannabis. And I would support all of the provisions and reforms in this legislation if paired with broader cannabis reforms that substantively addressed the issue of restorative justice,\u201d he said. \u201cThis bill does not do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Headed to the @SenateBanking<\/a> hearing on the #SAFEBanking<\/a> Act. <\/p>\n

But it only makes wealthy cannabis investors \u201csafer\u201d to make more profit\u2014it does nothing for the millions of Americans hardest hit by the War on Drugs. <\/p>\n

Tune in now to hear my deep concerns: https:\/\/t.co\/EGSSITZRJA<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@SenatorWarnock) September 27, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said she agreed with Warnock\u2019s comments, though she said she\u2019s supporting the underlying bill because it represents \u201ccommon sense policy\u201d and \u201ca good step in the right direction to make federal cannabis law a little less out of touch with reality on the ground in states across this country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately, we need to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act altogether,\u201d she said. \u201cIt makes no sense that marijuana remains a Schedule I drug while the state legal marijuana industry is booming. The communities that have borne the brunt of marijuana criminalization for decades should not be left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

The road to Wednesday\u2019s vote has been bumpy. While the House has passed earlier versions of the legislation several times, this marks the first time the Senate has taken the lead\u2014and bipartisan negotiations have proved trying.<\/p>\n

Leadership aimed to move the bill through committee in July, but disagreements over provisions related to broad banking regulations shot that timeline down. Then, over the August recess, lawmakers drafted a revised version, with a slightly updated title and new language that earned some praise from both sides of the aisle.<\/p>\n

But the amended SAFER Banking Act that was finally released last week is likely not in its final form. Beside amendments adopted during Wednesday\u2019s markup, there are additionally plans to amend it on the floor. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wants to use that opportunity to incorporate legislation on incentivizing state-level cannabis expungements, as well as protecting gun rights for marijuana consumers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) predicted last week that the SAFER Banking Act will pass \u201cdecisively\u201d out of his panel<\/a>. In light of reporting on heightened tensions over certain provisions, that remains to be seen.<\/p>\n

In a statement last week, Daines, the lead GOP sponsor, touted provisions of the legislation that he said would protect firearm and energy companies in Montana \u201cfrom the Left\u2019s woke agenda.\u201d<\/a>\u00a0His office has also said that the senator is open to attaching the expungements provisions Schumer is proposing.<\/p>\n

\u2014
\nMarijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,000 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nLearn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\n\u2014<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a group that represents state lawmakers across the U.S.\u00a0urged Senate leaders this week to pass the SAFER Banking Act<\/a>\u00a0to provide a \u201cmuch-needed solution\u201d to the \u201cunsafe and untenable\u201d challenges that the cannabis industry faces under prohibition.<\/p>\n

Last week, a coalition of 35 cannabis trade associations, drug policy reform groups and a top national labor union called on Congress to help address\u00a0the \u201chumanitarian toll\u201d of robberies targeting cash-intensive marijuana businesses<\/a>\u00a0by passing the SAFE Banking Act \u201cthis year.\u201d<\/p>\n

The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH)\u2014along with trade groups representing marijuana businesses in 16 states plus Washington, D.C.\u2014also sent a letter to Brown and Banking Committee Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-SC) in July, imploring them to\u00a0pass the cannabis banking bill \u201cwithout further delay.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Also, the American Bankers Association (ABA) also\u00a0renewed its call for the passage<\/a>\u00a0of the legislation. And all 50 of its state chapters did the same, as did insurance and union organizations,\u00a0in recent letters to congressional leadership<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

House Democratic Group Pushes To Reduce Hemp Growers\u2019 Regulatory Burdens In Next Farm Bill<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The post U.S. Senate Committee Approves Bipartisan Marijuana Banking Bill, Sending It To The Floor<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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The Senate Banking Committee has approved a bipartisan marijuana banking bill with amendments, sending it to the floor. On Wednesday, members voted to pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act, sponsored by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Steve Daines (R-MT), in a 14-9 vote. This comes oneContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":68873,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81,126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68872"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68872"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68872\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68874,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68872\/revisions\/68874"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68872"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68872"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68872"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}