STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2473

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2461

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2461 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:

(1) Amend the circumstances under which medical cannabis may be transported by and between dispensaries; and

(2) Require the Department of Health to adopt rules.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Cure Oahu and Hawaii Cannabis Industry Association.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Akamai Cannabis Consulting.

Your Committee finds that increased wholesale between cannabis dispensaries expands patients' access to a variety of formulations, products, and strains without sacrificing safety and consistency. Your Committee further finds that wholesale of cannabis products currently occurs on an emergency basis or on a proof of need basis, both of which are subject to approval by the Department of Health. This measure authorizes sales between dispensaries of cannabis products without the need to prove the sale's necessity and places a time limit on rulemaking by the Department of Health to allow distribution of products in a timely manner.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have authorized dispensaries to distribute medical cannabis products in compliance with chapter 329D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in the event the Department of Health does not adopt rules within this measure's specified timeframe;

(2) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2461, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2461, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary.

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

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair