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This report originally appeared in NJ Cannabis Insider.

WASHINGTON — As New Jersey moves in fits and starts to expand medical marijuana and perhaps legalize the drug for personal use, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez said he plans to reintroduce legislation to allow those legal businesses to have bank accounts, write checks and accept credit cards.

Menendez told NJ Cannabis Insider that he would be joining U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., to offer the Senate version of the Secure and Fair Enforcement, or SAFE, Banking Act. Merkley introduced the bill in May 2017 and Menendez and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. later joined 17 other senators as co-sponsors.

“The marijuana business, operating under state laws, has been denied access to the banking system,” said Menendez, D-N.J.

Menendez is a member of the Senate Banking Committee, which has jurisdiction over the issue, and pointed out that his home state already allows use of cannabis for medicinal purposes.

“We already have medical marijuana,” Menendez said. “That already creates a business universe that largely is unbanked.”

If marijuana is legalized for personal use, “we would have an even broader universe,” he said.

Dispensaries cannot access the banking system.

At a Senate banking panel hearing in February, Menendez asked Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell about the fact that most banks can’t service legal marijuana businesses because the drug remains illegal on the federal level.

“It puts financial institutions in a very difficult place," Powell responded. “It would be nice to have clarity on that.”

The House Financial Services Committee last month passed similar legislation and sent it to the House floor.

“These laws need to be applied to legitimate marijuana businesses and employees in order to improve transparency and accountability and help root out illegal transactions,” said the chief House sponsor, Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo.

“Most importantly, the SAFE Banking Act will get cash off our streets, reducing the risk of violent crime and making our communities safer.”

Menendez said he also plans to introduce separate legislation to allow insurance companies to provide services to legal marijuana businesses. That bill also would go through the banking committee.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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