STAND. COM. REP. NO. 137

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 477

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 477 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CANNABIS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the allowable number of production centers and retail dispensing locations per medical cannabis dispensary license;

(2) Authorize the Department of Health to allow a licensed dispensary to purchase up to four thousand grams of cannabis or manufactured cannabis products from another licensed dispensary to ensure ongoing qualified patient access; and

(3) Clarify that the transport of cannabis to another county or island for the sole purpose of laboratory testing is permissible only if no certified laboratory is located in the county or on the island where the dispensary is located.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Cannabis Industry Association, Big Island Grown, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that allowing dispensary-to-dispensary sales of cannabis and manufactured cannabis products will allow for adequate patient access to medical cannabis and ensure the smooth administration of the medical cannabis dispensary system law.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Reducing the amount of cannabis or manufactured cannabis products that can be transported between a selling and a purchasing dispensary from four thousand grams to three thousand grams;

(2) Amending the definition of "cannabis" to include cannabis propagules and cuttings;

(3) Removing language permitting the inter-island or inter-county transportation of cannabis and manufactured cannabis products for dispensary-to-dispensary sales;

(4) Inserting language imposing quantity limits and quality requirements on dispensed cannabis propagules and cuttings;

(5) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 477, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 477, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair