REFER Act of 2018

Bill: 115-hr-4779
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Introduced: 2018-01-11
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Civil actions and liability

Criminal procedure and sentencing

Drug, alcohol, tobacco use

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2018-01-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-01-11
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Restraining Excessive Federal Enforcement &amp; Regulations of Cannabis Act of 2018 or the REFER Act of 2018</b></p> <p>This bill prohibits the use of funds made available by Congress to a federal department or agency:</p> <ul> <li> to restrict a state or local law that authorizes the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of cannabis;</li> <li>to detain, prosecute, sentence, or initiate civil proceedings against an individual, business, or property involved in cannabis-related activities in accordance with state or local law; or</li> <li>to penalize a financial institution for providing financial services to a business engaged in cannabis-related activities in compliance with state or local law.</li> </ul>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4779 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 11, 2018 Ms. Lee (for herself, Mr. Blumenauer , Mr. Young of Alaska , Mr. Polis , and Ms. Titus ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services , and Energy and Commerce , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To protect States and individuals in States that have laws which permit the use of cannabis, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Restraining Excessive Federal Enforcement & Regulations of Cannabis Act of 2018 or the REFER Act of 2018 . 2. Limitation on the use of funds None of the funds made available by any Act of Congress to any department or agency of the United States may be used to— (1) prevent a State or unit of local government from implementing or maintaining its State law or regulation that authorizes the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of cannabis; (2) detain, prosecute, sentence, or initiate civil proceedings against an individual, business or property, that is involved in the cultivation, distribution, possession, dispensation, or use of cannabis, in accordance with the law or regulation of the State or unit of local government in which the individual is located; or (3) penalize a financial institution solely because the institution provides financial services to an entity that is a manufacturer, producer, or a person that participates in any business or organized activity that involves handling cannabis or cannabis products, or any related activity, and engages in such activity pursuant to a law or regulation established by a State or a unit of local government in which the financial institution is located. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) The term financial institution has the meaning given such term in section 5312 of title 31, United States Code. (2) The term State means any State, the District of Columbia, any territory or possession of the United States, or any Indian tribal government.