Cannabis Banking Reform Off The Senate's Table This Summer, CA City Bans New Shops & More Pot Reg Updates

Marijuana Banking Bill Won't Get A Vote In Senate This Summer

Marijuana banking reform seems to be off the table until senators get back from the August recess to get consideration, reported Marijuana Moment.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) told Don Murphy of the Marijuana Leadership Campaign this week that his panel will not vote on the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act in the coming days.

The measure will likely have to wait until at least September 5 when lawmakers return from the summer recess to receive a markup.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-NY) recent Dear Colleagues letter, in which he referenced moving forward on cannabis banking and a laundry list of other bills this summer, was called "a wish list" by Texas Sen. John Cornyn (R).

Meanwhile, on Friday, Marijuana Moment reported that the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) and other trade groups representing marijuana businesses in 16 states and D.C., sent a letter about the need for reform Sen. Brown and  Tim Scott (R-SC) to pass a bipartisan cannabis banking bill “without further delay.”

Want to talk more about the fascinating politics surrounding cannabis banking and legalization? Join us at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago this Sept 27-28 for its 17th edition.

San Francisco Implements Moratorium On New Cannabis Businesses Until 2027

A proposed ban on new cannabis businesses in San Francisco that got the green light from the board of supervisors and the mayor earlier this year will take effect on July 23 and will last through at least 2027, reported CBS News.

The regulators said they wanted to address the issue of an oversaturated market. "The moratorium is just one lever now that cannabis policy has, and I have as a prospective business owner, to try and seek investors and say, 'Hey look, this is still something special,'" said Malcolm Joshua Weitz, the owner of Mirage Medicinal.

The city's cannabis landscape has been the subject of both praise and scrutiny since the legalization of recreational use in 2016. San Francisco Supervisor Ahsha Safaí, a mayoral candidate for 2024, previously pushed for the moratorium stating the rise in break-ins and public safety issues.

"Let's be clear—we have no shortage of cannabis retail storefronts, and many are suffering because of brazen break-ins, public safety concerns, and an unregulated market that is not facing proper enforcement," he said.

Another Minnesota City Enforces Weed Ban As Wisconsin Law Enforcement Ponders Implications Of Legalization Wave

Wisconsin's law enforcement officials are adopting a cautious approach toward the potential increase in marijuana trafficking across state borders, reported KVPI. This development comes as Minnesota gears up to legalize the drug's recreational use starting from August 1.

At the same time, possession, use or sale of marijuana remains illegal.

"We're not going to do anything different than the last 17 years I've been here," Buffalo County Sheriff Michael Osmond said recently. "There's nothing planned at this point for any major checkpoints or any of that, but we will still be very present on the bridges as we have been."

Meanwhile, leaders in Duluth want to enact an outdoor marijuana smoking ordinance in anticipation of August 1, reported KSTP.

"The state law allows for the public consumption of marijuana to be legalized," Duluth City Council Member Arik Forsman said. "Unless there's a city ordinance in place that specifically prohibits it."

Forsman is behind a push to prohibit smoking marijuana in public spaces such as parks and bus shelters citywide. Duluth city follows other cities in the North Star State that have already opted to impose some cannabis-related bans.

Rhode Island Cannabis Regulator Invites Public Input On Marijuana Regulations

The Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission initiated the process of formulating comprehensive regulations and guidelines for the use of recreational marijuana by hearing input from a wide range of stakeholders, including cultivators, retailers, residents, and patients, reported WPRI.

"The purpose of these public meetings is for the community and industry to use their voices and for the commissioners to listen," Kim Ahern, the commission's chairwoman, said. "We want to hear the public's thoughts, concerns, and feedback, especially from those within the cannabis industry, the medical patient community, and those who have been disproportionately impacted by criminal enforcement of marijuana laws. It is important for everyone that we get this right."

An additional three listening sessions will take place during August.

Hear more about the state-by-state patchwork of cannabis regulations at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago this Sept 27-28. Get your tickets today before prices increase and secure a spot at the epicenter of cannabis investment and branding.

Photo: Courtesy of S.Borisov and OpenRangeStock on Shutterstock