THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1019
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to medical USE of marijuana.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that physicians may prescribe the medical use of marijuana to a patient who is diagnosed by a physician as having a debilitating medical condition and the potential benefits of the medical use of marijuana outweigh the health risks.  However, when a qualifying patient with a medical marijuana registration certificate is confined overnight in a hospital, there is no designated area in the hospital for the qualifying patient to use the prescribed medical marijuana.

The purpose of this Act is to require hospitals to designate a specific room on site where a qualifying patient with a medical marijuana registration certificate who is admitted for at least one night may use prescribed medical marijuana upon presenting evidence of a current medical marijuana registration certificate.

SECTION 2.  Chapter 323, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§323-   Designated room in a hospital for medical use of marijuana; requirements. A hospital shall designate a specific room on site where a qualifying patient, as defined in section 329-121, who is admitted for at least one night may access the designated room to use prescribed marijuana for medical use for the duration of the qualifying patient's hospital inpatient stay; provided the qualifying patient presents evidence of a current medical marijuana registration certificate issued and signed pursuant to section 329-123.

For the purposes of this section:

"Hospital" means any institution that admits patients for inpatient care, diagnosis, observation, and treatment and is regulated by the State.

"Marijuana" has the same meaning as in section 329-121.

"Medical use" has the same meaning as in section 329-121."

SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Medical Marijuana; Hospitals

Description:

Requires hospitals to designate a specific room on site where a qualifying patient who is admitted for at least one night may use prescribed medical marijuana for the duration of the qualifying patient's inpatient stay; provided the qualifying patient presents evidence of a current medical marijuana registration certificate.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.