STAND. COM. REP. NO. 51-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2444

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 2444 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD CHECKS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Health to conduct criminal history record checks on applicants for permits to process hemp biomass or prepare a manufactured hemp product.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committees find that Act 263, Session Laws of 2023, which extended the repeal date for the hemp processors chapter to July 1, 2027, also amended the minimum application requirements for hemp processor permits to require that applicants provide either a hemp producer license issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration or consent to a criminal history record check pursuant to state law. This measure is necessary to authorize the Department of Health to conduct these criminal history record checks for the duration of the hemp processor program.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the criminal history record checks are to be conducted on individual applicants or individuals acting on behalf of applying entities for hemp processor permits;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture & Food Systems that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2444, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2444, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________ CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair

____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair