STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1175

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1085

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1085, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the State's controlled substances law.

     Specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Makes the Hawaii statutes on controlled substances consistent with federal laws on controlled substances;

     (2)  Adds substances of concern to the list of controlled substances that must be electronically reported to Hawaii's electronic prescription monitoring program; and

     (3)  Increases the fee for the registration certificate for qualifying patients for the medical use of marijuana.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, City and County of Honolulu; and Myron Berney, ND LAc, Medicine Buddhas and Bodhisativas Natural Cancer Wellness Foundation.

     Your Committee received comments in opposition to this measure from Jeanne Y. Ohta, Executive Director, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii; Andrea Tischler, Co-Chair, Big Island Chapter Americans for Safe Access; and fifteen individuals.

     Your Committee notes that the majority of the testimony in opposition to this measure regarded the increase in the fee charged for registration certificates to qualifying patients for the medical use of marijuana.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Correcting the name of a controlled substance; and

     (2)  Changing the fee charged for registration certificates to qualifying patients for the medical use of marijuana to an unspecified amount.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1085, 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. 1085, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair