Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS
DIVISION OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR

CATHERINE P. AWAKUNI COLÓN
DIRECTOR

IRIS K. IKEDA
COMMISSIONER OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 16, 2018

Hawaii Banking Commissioner Requests Congress Address Regulatory Conflict for Medical Cannabis Banking

Honolulu, HI – The Division of Financial Institutions, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, along with a coalition of financial regulators from more than 20 states is asking Congressional leaders to consider legislation that creates a safe harbor for financial institutions to serve businesses operating legally under state law or entrust states with the full oversight and jurisdiction of cannabis-related activity.

Commissioner Iris Ikeda and regulators from 24 other states and territories sent a letter to Congress describing the well-documented conflict between federal and state law, which has created barriers for financial institutions desiring to serve businesses involved in state-licensed cannabis activities. The regulators shared their concerns with respect to public safety, increased difficulty of tracking the flow of funds, contributions to a loss of economic activity, workforce development, and community development opportunities.

“A majority of states now have medical cannabis programs and it has become increasingly necessary to craft policy to respond to emerging challenges,” said Commissioner Ikeda. “We want to establish a safe harbor for banks to serve these entities in an effort to reduce the risk with large cash-intensive operations and bring the safeguards, activities, and standards into the regulatory reporting compliance framework.”

As of March 31, 2019, 47 states, the District of Columbia and the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico have legalized medical and/or recreational cannabis usage.

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The Hawaii Division of Financial Institutions (DFI) ensures the safety and soundness of state-chartered and state-licensed financial institutions, and ensures regulatory compliance by state-licensed financial institutions, escrow depositories, money transmitters, mortgage servicers, mortgage loan originators and mortgage loan originator companies, by fairly administering applicable statutes and rules, in order to protect the rights and funds of depositors, borrowers, consumers and other members of the public. Website: https://cca.hawaii.gov/dfi/. Twitter: @HawaiiDFI

Media Contact:
William Nhieu
Communications Officer
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (808) 586-7582