STAND. COM. REP. NO. 688-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1819

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1819, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEMP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a statutory framework for the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to monitor and regulate hemp;

(2) Establish and provide temporary legislative funding for the Hemp Regulatory Special Fund, which will later be funded by inspection fees, for necessary staff to administer the program;

(3) Exclude hemp from the State's prohibitions against marijuana;

(4) Expedite the repeal of the existing Industrial Hemp Pilot Program;

(5) Require the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture to seek approval from the United States Department of Agriculture of a state plan to monitor and regulate hemp; and

(6) Appropriate funds to:

(A) DOA for the monitoring and regulation of hemp production; and

(B) The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa for hemp research.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Farm Bureau; Kihei Community Association; Vote Hemp; We Are One, Inc.; Hawaii Royal Hemp; and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Agriculture, Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Public Safety, University of Hawaii System, Hawaii Hemp Farmers Association, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Hawaii Hemp Solutions, and one individual.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1819, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair