STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1310

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 465

S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 465, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the interisland transportation of cannabis by qualifying patients and qualifying out-of-state patients for personal medical use; provided that no individual or entity shall be required to violate federal law with regard to the interstate transport of cannabis.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Akamai Cannabis Consulting and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Transportation, and Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that permitting qualifying patients and qualifying out-of-state patients to transport cannabis on interisland flights will ensure these patients continue to have access to cannabis for their personal medical use.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Transportation to adopt rules for the interisland transport of controlled substances within the jurisdictional limits of the State, which extend twelve nautical miles from the perimeter of each island and connect Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe;

(2) Clarifying that no individual or entity shall be required to violate federal law;

(3) Specifying that state law and its protections do not affect federal law;

(4) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests the Department of Transportation to review the policies and airport procedures of the Oakland International Airport as a model for this measure.

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 S.B. No. 465, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 465, S.D. 2, 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,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair