STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3758

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2097

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2097, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL CANNABIS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize:

 

     (1)  The Department of Health to consider processes that may allow cannabis or manufactured cannabis products that fail testing to be remediated;

 

     (2)  Licensed dispensaries to manufacture and distribute edible cannabis products under certain conditions; and

 

     (3)  The Department of Health to allow licensed dispensaries to provide educational and scientific information and sponsor events related to medical cannabis.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Cannabis Industry Association; Aloha Green Holdings, Inc.; Maui Grown Therapies; Big Island Grown Dispensaries; Community Alliance on Prisons; and six individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Transportation,  Honolulu Police Department, Maui Cannabis Conference, Patients Without Time, Malie Cannabis Clinic, Akamai Cannabis Clinic, and twenty individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that amendments to chapter 329D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, are warranted to clarify legislative intent, ensure smooth administration of the medical cannabis dispensary system law, allow for adequate patient access based on experiences in other states that have a reasonable medical cannabis program, and resolve other issues that have arisen under the existing law.  Your Committee further finds that the Department of Health is currently allowing remediation in specific circumstances and this measure clarifies that the Department of Health is authorized to adopt appropriate standards based on current science and best practices.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the Department of Health may authorize other products, including edible cannabis products;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the term "edible cannabis products" does not include a drug or food, or bottled water as defined and regulated in chapters 328 and 328D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, respectively; and

 

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2021.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2097, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2097, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

 

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair