Industrial Hemp Banking Act

To create protections for depository institutions that provide financial services to industrial hemp legitimate businesses, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Industrial Hemp Banking Act 2. Secure and fair enforcement of the banking laws (a) Safe harbor for depository institutions A Federal banking regulator may not— (1) terminate or limit the deposit insurance or share insurance of a depository institution under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ( 12 U.S.C. 1811 12 U.S.C. 1751 (2) prohibit, penalize, or otherwise discourage a depository institution from providing financial services to an industrial hemp legitimate business or to a State or political subdivision of a State that exercises jurisdiction over industrial hemp legitimate businesses; (3) recommend, incentivize, or encourage a depository institution not to offer financial services to an account holder, or to downgrade or cancel the financial services offered to an account holder solely because— (A) the account holder is the owner, operator, or employee of an industrial hemp legitimate business; (B) the account holder later becomes an owner or operator of an industrial hemp legitimate business; or (C) the depository institution was not aware that the account holder is the owner or operator of an industrial hemp legitimate business; and (4) take any adverse or corrective supervisory action on a loan made to an owner or operator of— (A) an industrial hemp legitimate business, solely because the owner or operator owns or operates an industrial hemp legitimate business; or (B) real estate or equipment that is leased to an industrial hemp legitimate business, solely because the owner or operator of the real estate or equipment leased the equipment or real estate to an industrial hemp legitimate business. (b) Protections under Federal law (1) In general In a State or a political subdivision of a State that allows for industrial hemp legitimate businesses, a depository institution that provides financial services to an industrial hemp legitimate business, and the officers, directors, and employees of that depository institution may not be held liable pursuant to any Federal law or regulation— (A) solely for providing such financial services pursuant to the law or regulation of such State or political subdivision; or (B) for further investing any income derived from such financial services. (2) Forfeiture A depository institution that has a legal interest in the collateral for a loan or another financial service provided to an owner or operator of an industrial hemp legitimate business, or to an owner or operator of real estate or equipment that is leased or sold to an industrial hemp legitimate business, shall not be subject to criminal, civil, or administrative forfeiture of that legal interest pursuant to any Federal law for providing such loan or other financial service. (c) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall require a depository institution to provide financial services to an industrial hemp legitimate business. (d) Requirements for filing suspicious activity reports Section 5318(g) of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (5) Requirements for industrial hemp legitimate businesses A financial institution or any director, officer, employee, or agent of a financial institution that reports a suspicious transaction pursuant to this subsection and the reason for the report relates to an industrial hemp legitimate business (as defined in section 2 of the Industrial Hemp Banking Act), the report shall comply with appropriate guidance issued by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The Secretary shall ensure that the guidance is consistent with the purpose and intent of the Industrial Hemp Banking Act and does not inhibit the provision of financial services to an industrial hemp legitimate business in a State or political subdivision of a State that allows for industrial hemp legitimate businesses. . (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Depository institution The term depository institution (A) a depository institution as defined in section 3(c) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ( 12 U.S.C. 1813(c) (B) a Federal credit union as defined in section 101 of the Federal Credit Union Act ( 12 U.S.C. 1752 (C) a State credit union as defined in section 101 of the Federal Credit Union Act ( 12 U.S.C. 1752 (2) Federal banking regulator The term Federal banking regulator (3) Financial service The term financial service 12 U.S.C. 5481 (4) Industrial hemp legitimate business The term industrial hemp legitimate business (A) an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 (i) grows or cultivates industrial hemp for purposes of research, and such research actually occurs; and (ii) such growing or cultivation is carried out pursuant to the laws of the State in which such institution of higher education or State department of agriculture is located; (B) a third party that produces, manufactures, sells, purchases, or transports industrial hemp pursuant to, or otherwise participates in, a program or research described under subparagraph (A); and (C) a person that engages in commerce with industrial hemp products that are exempted from the definition of a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act. (5) State The term State (6) Agricultural Act of 2014 definitions The terms agricultural pilot program industrial hemp State department of agriculture 7 U.S.C. 5940(b)

Summary: Industrial Hemp Banking Act This bill prohibits a federal banking regulator from: (1) terminating or limiting the deposit insurance or share insurance of a depository institution solely because the institution provides financial services to a legitimate industrial hemp business; (2) prohibiting or otherwise discouraging a depository institution from offering financial services to such a business; (3) recommending, incentivizing, or encouraging a depository institution not to offer financial services to an account holder solely because the account holder is affiliated with such a business; or (4) taking any adverse or corrective supervisory action on a loan made to a person solely because the person either owns such a business or owns real estate or equipment leased to such a business. As specified by the bill, a depository institution shall not, under federal law, be liable or subject to forfeiture for providing financial services to a legitimate industrial hemp business.