STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1380-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2574

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2574, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make clarifying housekeeping amendments to the registration requirements regarding the medical use of marijuana.  Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Changes the term "registry card" to "registration card";

(2)  Removes the requirement that the physician issuing a written certificate for the use of medical marijuana be the qualifying patient's primary care physician;

(3)  Adds additional requirements to be followed by the certifying physician; and

(4)  Limits the fee for the registration card to a maximum of $35 per year, instead of requiring it to be set at $35.

The Department of Health, Community Alliance on Prisons, Big Island Chapter of Americans for Safe Access, Drug Policy Action Group, Hawaii Standards & Green Futures, Effective Change, Religion of Jesus Church, and numerous concerned citizens testified in support of this measure.  The Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii opposed this measure.  The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Maui Police Department, Natural Cancer Wellness, and a few concerned individuals provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by changing its effective date to January 2, 2015.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Consumer Protection & Commerce that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2574, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2574, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________ ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair

____________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair