STAND. COM. REP. NO.  610

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1488

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1488, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to facilitate the full implementation of the medical marijuana dispensary system by:

     (1)  Establishing an Office of Medical Marijuana Administration in the Department of Health (Department) to provide comprehensive management of the dispensary system and patient registration;

     (2)  Amending certain dates and deadlines in existing law to account for delays in fully implementing the dispensary system;

     (3)  Establishing new deadlines for the Department to implement its computer tracking system and laboratory testing program;

     (4)  Providing for an alternate tracking system in case of a shutdown of the Department's primary system;

     (5)  Amending standards for the award of new dispensary licenses, retention of dispensary security videos, and laboratory testing; and

     (6)  Authorizing qualifying patients and primary caregivers to directly obtain medical marijuana testing services from certified laboratories on the same island.

Aloha Green Holdings, Inc., Hawaii Educational Association for Licensed Therapeutic Healthcare, Maui Wellness Group dba Maui Grown Therapies, and two individuals testified in support of the measure.  An individual testified in opposition.  The Department of the Attorney General, Department of Health, Patients Without Time, The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Manoa Botanicals, Hawaii Dispensary Alliance, and The Drug Policy Action Group provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1488, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Chair