Key senators say they’re aiming to hold a committee vote on a marijuana banking bill when they return from the July 4th recess—though at least one section of the measure remains in dispute amid negotiations. And when it comes to progressives’ push to expand the scope by attaching justice-focused reforms to the financial services measure, the Republican sponsor’s office told Marijuana Moment that he’s “open” to including expungement provisions.
Several lawmakers weighed in on the status of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act in recent interviews with Punchbowl News, with Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) saying that he “would like to” hold a markup on the bill this month. He added, however, that “it depends” on first shepherding unrelated legislation that his panel has passed through the Senate floor.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the lead Democratic sponsor of the cannabis banking proposal, told the news outlet that lawmakers are “going to do a deep plunge now and try to set the stage, hopefully, for a markup when we return from break.”
It’s not just a matter of timing and legislative priorities, however. The committee, which held an initial hearing on the SAFE Banking Act in May,
Read full article on Marijuana Moment
