1 00:00:00.510 --> 00:00:02.430 Johny Fernandez: Could the alternative finance industry 2 00:00:02.460 --> 00:00:06.000 help out cannabis? and what lending company just shifted 3 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:09.630 their focus? and how will it impact other businesses around 4 00:00:09.630 --> 00:00:12.960 the country? That's part of this week's newscast. Let's get 5 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:13.320 going! 6 00:00:19.210 --> 00:00:22.300 New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently proposed a plan to 7 00:00:22.300 --> 00:00:26.590 legalize cannabis as early as this year. Cuomo says his plan 8 00:00:26.590 --> 00:00:30.340 would quote, facilitate market entry through access to capital, 9 00:00:30.490 --> 00:00:33.040 technical assistance, and incubation of equity 10 00:00:33.040 --> 00:00:36.550 entrepreneurs. If passed, the plan could be a game changer for 11 00:00:36.550 --> 00:00:39.820 cannabis financers since New York is home to alternative 12 00:00:39.820 --> 00:00:43.030 finance. The plan first has to get approved from the state 13 00:00:43.030 --> 00:00:46.630 legislature in order to become a reality. New Jersey lawmakers 14 00:00:46.630 --> 00:00:49.300 are heading back to the table to pass a bill that would impact 15 00:00:49.300 --> 00:00:52.420 small business lending. Lawmakers introduced a bill that 16 00:00:52.420 --> 00:00:55.600 would require uniform disclosures on small business 17 00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:58.570 finance contracts. The bill would encompass loans, 18 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:02.260 factoring, and merchant cash advance on transactions smaller 19 00:01:02.260 --> 00:01:06.790 than $500,000. Now brokers would be required to disclose their 20 00:01:06.790 --> 00:01:11.020 fees and documents separate from the finance contracts. The bill 21 00:01:11.050 --> 00:01:15.580 was first introduced two years ago, but did not move forward. A 22 00:01:15.580 --> 00:01:19.270 similar bill was passed in California in 2018. Experts say 23 00:01:19.270 --> 00:01:22.360 that the bill may not go into effect for at least another 24 00:01:22.360 --> 00:01:25.780 year. Earlier this month, Dallas based finance company Sprout 25 00:01:25.780 --> 00:01:29.350 Funding recently announced its acquisition of Jet Capital. The 26 00:01:29.350 --> 00:01:33.100 company's CEO told deBanked the acquisition was part of its 27 00:01:33.100 --> 00:01:36.820 technical operations expansion. He believes the acquisition will 28 00:01:36.820 --> 00:01:40.090 increase the company's overall capabilities. Small Business 29 00:01:40.090 --> 00:01:42.790 lender Quarterspot recently announced it'd be shifting its 30 00:01:42.790 --> 00:01:46.600 business focus. Quarterspot sent out emails earlier this month, 31 00:01:46.750 --> 00:01:49.360 notifying its business partners that it would be shifting its 32 00:01:49.360 --> 00:01:53.380 focus and would stop originating new loans. The company says it 33 00:01:53.380 --> 00:01:56.650 continues to serve outstanding loans. Of course, once we get 34 00:01:56.650 --> 00:02:00.220 more information on this, we'll pass it along. So what do you 35 00:02:00.220 --> 00:02:03.490 think about the changes going on in alternative finance? Let us 36 00:02:03.490 --> 00:02:06.820 know. I'm Johny Fernandez with deBanked News. Don't forget to 37 00:02:06.820 --> 00:02:09.340 check out our website for more details about our upcoming 38 00:02:09.340 --> 00:02:11.710 events. And of course, I'll see you next time.