CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 181-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2461

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2461, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL CANNABIS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize medical cannabis dispensaries to purchase cannabis and manufactured cannabis products from other dispensaries without any showing that the purchase is necessary for a qualifying patient's continuous access to cannabis for medical use, or the cannabis and manufactured cannabis products are for medical, scientific, or other legitimate purposes; and

(2) Require the Department of Health to adopt rules regarding medical cannabis products within a certain timeframe.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the State's medical cannabis dispensary program is intended to ensure that qualifying patients have safe and legal access to medical cannabis, which can be enhanced through the efficiencies derived from wholesaling. Notwithstanding, under existing law, a medical cannabis dispensary can only purchase cannabis and manufactured cannabis products directly from another dispensary if they can demonstrate a specific need for the purchase and obtain prior approval from the Department of Health. Your Committee on Conference finds that by authorizing sales between dispensaries of cannabis products as a matter of course, without having to demonstrate a specific need and obtain approval, this measure will increase the availability of medical cannabis, lower costs for patients, and improve the administration of the State's medical cannabis dispensary program.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have required the Department of Health to adopt rules regarding medical cannabis products no later than nine months after a product is permitted to be manufactured and distributed pursuant to section 329D-10(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, the state law governing the types of manufactured cannabis products;

(2) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose;

(3) Making it effective upon its approval; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2461, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2461, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair
____________________________ CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Co-Chair
____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI Co-Chair	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair
____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA Co-Chair