STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1716

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 104

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 104 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE AUDITOR CONDUCT A SUNRISE ANALYSIS OF MANDATING HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR CANNABIDIOL OIL DERIVED FROM INDUSTRIAL HEMP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of mandating health care coverage of cannabidiol oil derived from industrial hemp.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Kihei Community Association and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that industrial hemp contains cannabidiol, a therapeutic non-psychoactive chemical compound. The medicinal benefits of cannabidiol have been recently recognized by the United States Food and Drug Administration, which recently approved a cannabidiol oral solution to treat seizures associated with severe forms of epilepsy. Additional medicinal benefits can include relieving pain, reducing nausea, easing migraines, and reducing inflammation. Your Committee further notes that industrial hemp-derived products have been removed from Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act under certain circumstances. H.B. No. 20, introduced during the Regular Session of 2019, requires health insurers and similar entities that provide coverage for health care to provide drug coverage for cannabidiol oil that is derived from industrial hemp. This measure requests that the Auditor conduct an assessment pursuant to sections 25-51 and 23-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to assess the social and financial effects of mandating health care coverage of cannabidiol oil derived from industrial hemp.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that industrial hemp-derived products have been removed from Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act under certain circumstances;

(2) Updating its title to reflect the amended purpose; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 104, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 104, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair