STAND. COM. REP. NO. 529-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1782

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 1782 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEMP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Health to conduct criminal history record checks on applicants for permits to process hemp biomass or prepare a manufactured hemp product.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Agriculture; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that Act 263, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, amended the minimum application requirements for hemp processor permits to require that applicants provide either a hemp producer license issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration or consent to a criminal history record check pursuant to state law. This measure is necessary to authorize the Department of Health to conduct these criminal history record checks for the duration of the hemp processor program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1782, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1782, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair