The Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee voted 3-2 along party lines against a GOP proposal to add marijuana shops to the list of places where recipients of public assistance can’t use their government-issued EBT cards to access cash.
The list already includes casinos, liquor stores and gun shops.
Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, said Colorado’s new legal pot industry needs to make sure not to invite federal scrutiny through improper cash withdrawals at recreational or medical marijuana stores.
“Already we are operating an industry which is not allowed under federal law,” said Marble, one of the chief lawmakers involved with Colorado’s marijuana regulation bills.
If federal authorities notice public benefit card use at marijuana shops, “I have a feeling we’re going to see trouble we’re not ready to deal with,” she said.
Democrats on the committee said some neighborhoods have few ATMs, and the Legislature should address those banking deserts before piling on places where public assistance cards can’t be used.
“I’m not comfortable limiting that access until I’m certain we’ve done that due diligence to make sure people can access their benefits when they need to,” Sen. Irene Aguilar, D-Denver, said.
The bill would also have added strip clubs to the list of off-limits ATMs, something already banned under federal law.
The marijuana industry argued for the ban, saying it could help prevent rumors about people using disability benefits or spending Social Security checks on marijuana.
