STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2191

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 89

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 89 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ENACT LEGISLATION REMOVING CANNABIS FROM THE FEDERAL CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT AND FACILITATE THE FULL SPECTRUM OF PRIVATE BANKING SERVICES FOR CANNABIS-RELATED BUSINESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the United States Congress to enact legislation to remove cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act and facilitate the full spectrum of private banking services for cannabis-related business.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Community Alliance on Prisons, Drug Policy Action Group, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, and O‘ahu County Democrats Legislative Priorities Committee. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Maui Police Department. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Akamai Cannabis Clinic.

Your Committee finds that Act 228, Session Laws of Hawaii 2000, authorized the acquisition, possession, and use of medical cannabis, and Act 241, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, authorized the establishment and regulation of medical cannabis dispensaries. Your Committee further finds that Hawaii's medical cannabis dispensaries and other cannabis-related businesses are hampered by the inability to obtain the full spectrum of private banking services under federal law. Your Committee believes that federal legislation to remove cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act would allow medical cannabis dispensaries and other cannabis-related businesses to operate without the threat of federal seizures, forfeitures, arrests, and other enforcement and prosecutorial actions.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 89, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair