REFER Act of 2019 2019-02-28 Introduced in House Restraining Excessive Federal Enforcement & Regulations of Cannabis Act of 2019 or the REFER Act of 2019

This bill limits restrictions on and penalties for certain cannabis-related activities that are authorized by state or local law (i.e., state-authorized).

Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of funds made available by Congress to a federal department or agency

  • to restrict the state-authorized use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of cannabis;
  • to detain, prosecute, sentence, or initiate civil proceedings against an individual, business, or property involved in state-authorized cannabis-related activities; or
  • to penalize a financial institution for providing financial services to a business engaged in state-authorized cannabis-related activities.
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