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Key lawmaker pushes for SAFE in COMPETES.
As Cannabis Wire recently reported, Washington lawmakers and regulators are ramping up their push to get cannabis banking reform at the state and federal levels.
This week, the state’s Dept. of Financial Institutions published a list of “financial institutions providing services to cannabis retailers in Washington.”
Separately, Liquor and Cannabis Board chair David Postman published an update on steps taken and steps forthcoming, including: Gov. Jay Inslee and Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti will write a letter to Congress on SAFE Banking; conversations on potential legislation that would create a “tax credit for licensees who make safety improvements to operations;” and providing “crime prevention training.”
On the heels of that update, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, who is the assistant leader in the U.S. Senate, spoke at a credit union in the state on Wednesday, behind a podium that read: “Pass the SAFE Banking Act.”
She noted her role on the conference committee that is reconciling the differences in the House and Senate versions of the America COMPETES Act. The House – but not the Senate – attached SAFE Banking to it, as Cannabis Wire reported.
“One of my top priorities in this negotiation is making sure that [COMPETES] will include the SAFE Banking Act. That’s why I believe we can get this done,” she said.
Florida Ag Commissioner files lawsuit on cannabis and guns.
Commissioner Nikki Fried announced on Wednesday that she filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) over an area of cannabis policy that’s bound to come to a head in the coming years: cannabis and guns.
Notably, Neill Franklin, former Executive Director of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, joined Fried in the suit.
“This is something that I hear literally every single day, people asking questions about usage of cannabis and their ability to either get a concealed weapons permit or purchase a gun,” Fried told Cannabis Wire.
“What we’re doing is we’re forcing cannabis patients to have to choose between either not buying a gun and not utilizing those amendments, those freedoms, those rights, or potentially lying on forms.”
Existing federal policy bans Americans from purchasing a firearm if they use a Schedule I substance. That includes cannabis for any use, including state-registered medical patients.
Jersey City mayor pushes back on officer off-duty consumption.
In response to acting NJ Attorney General Matt Platkin’s memo that off duty cops can consume cannabis, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop tweeted:
“We disagree w/NJ’s position on this + agree w/fed standards. Our local police leadership will be issuing a directive today to the nearly 1000 police officers in #JerseyCity that we respect Nj’s position BUT to clarify in JC officers (on duty/off duty) will not be permitted.”
