STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1096-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.R. No. 51

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.R. No. 51 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING A SUNRISE REVIEW OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SYSTEM OF REGISTERED DISPENSARIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO DISPENSE MEDICAL MARIJUANA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a sunrise review of the establishment of a system of registered dispensaries within the Department of Health to dispense medical marijuana as proposed in H.B. No. 1587, Regular Session of 2014, pursuant to section 26H-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes and in conducting the sunrise review, include:

(1)  The qualifications, duties, and responsibilities for dispensaries of medical marijuana; and

(2)  The registration requirements for dispensaries of medical marijuana to possess and cultivate medical marijuana for:

(A)  Dispensing medical marijuana to a qualifying patient or primary caregiver; and

(B)  Manufacturing, purchasing, possessing, distributing, and using drug paraphernalia in accordance with Hawaii's Medical Use of Marijuana Law; and

(3)  The registration requirements for qualifying patients and primary caregivers to use and obtain services from dispensaries of medical marijuana, including the payment of a cultivation fee to the Department of Health and the cultivation of marijuana in secured facilities that may or may not be part of the dispensary; and

(4)  The registration, to include criminal record checks, of dispensary agents who must be registered with the Department of Health prior to working at a dispensary; and

(5)  The protections afforded to qualifying patients, primary caregivers, dispensaries, and dispensary agents with respect to the regulation of a system of registered dispensaries within the Department of Health to dispense medical marijuana.

     The Big Island Chapter of Americans for Safe Access, the Drug Policy Action Group, and many individuals supported this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 51 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair