STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2634

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3315

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 3315 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CANNABIS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Allow applicants or primary caregivers to make a one‑time purchase of medical cannabis after the submission of the applicant's certification form while waiting for confirmation of registration from the Department of Health; and

(2) Require the Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation to facilitate the temporary authorization.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Marijuana Policy Project and two individuals.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

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

Your Committees find that access for qualifying patients and primary caregivers to medical cannabis and particularly licensed medical cannabis dispensaries remains challenging due to limited access to medical providers, delays in obtaining authorization to enter and purchase medical cannabis, and the availability of cannabis through a thriving illicit market. Your Committees further find that that the Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation of the Department of Health has a comprehensive registration system that could temporarily allow a qualifying patient or primary caregiver to purchase medical cannabis, instead of having the patient's access to medical cannabis delayed by a few to several days while awaiting delivery of the registration card from the Department. This measure expands access to medical cannabis by easing some of the burdens upon qualifying patients and primary caregivers.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amount of the authorized one-time purchase of cannabis from a medical cannabis dispensary from fifty percent to twenty-five percent of the dispensing limits under section 329D-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, or the equivalent of one ounce; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3315, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3315, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair