STAND. COM. REP. NO. 46-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1542

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1542 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow terminally ill patients and qualifying patients over sixty-five years of age with chronic diseases to use medical cannabis within specified health care facilities under certain conditions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Cannabis Industry Association; Drug Policy Forum of Hawaiʻi; Cannabis Society of Hawaiʻi; and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Big Island Substance Abuse Council; Hina Mauka; and Healthcare Association of Hawaii. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health; Department of the Attorney General; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Akamai Cannabis Consulting; Marijuana Policy Project; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that medical cannabis is most commonly used for pain relief, to improve appetite, and reduce nausea, and can be used as an alternative to heavy pain relievers like fentanyl and morphine. Your Committee further finds that terminally ill patients or qualified patients over sixty-five who suffer from a chronic disease who choose to use medical cannabis for treatment or pain relief often wish to continue their use of medical cannabis while in the hospital, which ensures consistency in the individual course of treatment for these patients. While your Committee recognizes the concerns raised in testimony about potential conflicts with federal law and participation in Medicare and Medicaid, your Committee believes there is value in maintaining patient access and that further discussion on this measure is warranted.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the definition of "health care facility" to exclude chemical dependency residential treatment centers;

(2) Permitting, rather than requiring, health care facilities to permit patients to use medical cannabis;

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

(4) 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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1542, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1542, 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,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair