State Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins (Daniel Petty, Denver Post file)

Bill banning public-assistance cards at pot store ATMs dies in committee

A bill that would have blocked the use of public-assistance cards at ATMs in Colorado marijuana shops died in a state Senate committee Wednesday.

Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, proposed the bill, saying it was needed to bring Colorado in line with federal law at places where government-issued Electronic Benefit Transfer cards can’t be used. Marble said she worried that without the bill the federal government might view the possible use of the cards at marijuana stores as a reason to raid the businesses.

“We could have seizures of the stores and all the money at the tills,” she said. “… We’re setting these newly established marijuana retail stores up to fail.”

The committee voted 3-2 on party lines to kill the bill. Democrats said there is no evidence that needy Coloradans are using government assistance to buy pot and said the bill is not needed.

Earlier this week, Marble defended her bill against the allegation that it was prompted by a fake news report claiming that marijuana stores were accepting food stamps. Marble said she drafted the bill before the spoof came out.

John Ingold: 303-954-1068, jingold@denverpost.com or twitter.com/john_ingold

This story was first published on DenverPost.com