STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1263-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2488

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2488, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to tackle the complex issues surrounding the topic of insurance reimbursement for medical cannabis by establishing a working group to specifically address reimbursement by health insurance for medical cannabis for qualifying patients.

Hawaii Educational Association for Licensed Therapeutic Healthcare, The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Maui Grown Therapies, and two individuals testified in support of this measure. The Legislative Reference Bureau provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to provide research and drafting assistance to the working group, and not staff assistance;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to facilitate further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2488, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2488, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Human Services,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair