STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3764

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1550

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1550, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to exclude drug testing products from the definition of drug paraphernalia under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, State Health Planning and Development Agency, Kumukahi Health + Wellness, Hep Free Hawaii, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaiʻi, and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that people who use drugs purchased outside of pharmacies are at risk of harm from contaminants, including drugs that are more powerful than what they intended to consume. Consuming these substances can lead to overdose, poisoning, and serious injury. Additionally, testing illicit drugs to determine whether they contain chemicals, toxic substances, or hazardous compounds in quantities that can cause physical harm or death has been shown to reduce overdose and drug-related harm. This measure will remove barriers to drug testing, thereby reducing overdoses and protecting public health by excluding drug testing products from the definition of drug paraphernalia.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of March 22, 2075, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1550, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1550, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair