STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 263
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2023
RE: H.B. No. 1217
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2023
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1217 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL CANNABIS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The
purpose of this measure is to clarify
and strengthen the State's medical use of cannabis laws by:
(1) Prohibiting the cultivation, production, manufacturing, distribution, or dispensing of medical cannabis except by persons authorized under the State's Medical Cannabis Patient Registry Program or Medical Cannabis Dispensary Program;
(2) Restricting the number of qualifying patients who may use the same grow site to cultivate cannabis to five individuals; and
(3) Prohibiting a primary caregiver from receiving cannabis or cannabis products as compensation for acting as the primary caregiver to a qualifying patient.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Public Safety, Hawai‘i Cannabis Industry Association, Aloha Green Holdings Inc., Green Aloha, Cure Oahu, Noa Botanicals, and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and one individual.
Your Committee finds that
there are gaps under existing law that allow controversial practices in
Hawaii's medical cannabis industry. Your
Committee further finds that it is in the best interest of public health to
clarify and strengthen the State's medical use of cannabis laws. This measure will increase the legitimacy of
the Medical Cannabis Patient Registry Program and better protect licensees of
the Medical Cannabis Dispensary Program.
Your
Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Clarifying that inspections can be conducted
of grow sites;
(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000,
to encourage further discussion; and
(3) 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 & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1217, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1217, 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 & Homelessness,
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____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair |