STAND. COM. REP. NO. 587

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 131

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 131, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEMP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to facilitate the regulation and production of hemp by:

(1) Amending definitions of "marijuana" in state law to clarify that hemp is not marijuana;

(2) Allowing licensees under the industrial hemp pilot program to utilize hemp genetics, from any state, that meet federal definitions of hemp;

(3) Requiring the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture to prepare and submit to the federal Secretary of Agriculture a proposed state plan to monitor and regulate hemp production, including commercial production and research, pursuant to section 297B of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended; and

(4) Requiring the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture to submit reports to the Governor and the Legislature regarding the state plan.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from a member of the County of Maui Council; Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Kihei Community Association; We Are One, Inc.; and twenty individuals.

Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Public Safety; Pratt Law Hawaii, LLLC; and one individual.

Comments on this measure were submitted by the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Agriculture, Akamai Cannabis Clinic, and one individual.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language that authorizes the Department of Agriculture to monitor and regulate hemp production, including commercial production and research, pursuant to section 297B of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended; and

(2) Changing its effective date to September 22, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

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. 131, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 131, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair