Cannabis bill to be heard for first time in House next week

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Legalizing marijuana in Hawaii has been a debate for over a decade, and for the first time, the bill is set to be heard in the House next week.

Many lawmakers believe this could be the year legalizing recreational marijuana for adults passes.

For over two decades, the state has debated whether to legalize recreational cannabis.

Hawaii was the first state to legalize medical cannabis through the state legislature, but not recreational marijuana like other states.

A senate bill passed through the legislature last year but wasn’t heard by a house committee.

This year is the first time a house committee will hear the measure, with the first hearing on Wednesday at 2 p.m., with the Judiciary and Ag committees.

“We’re in a money crunch at the state legislature, we need to look at revenue-generating legislation to help assist us with the shortfall we currently have,” explained Rep. Cedric Gates (D) Waianae, Makaha and the Agriculture committee chair. “We would be the last democratic state to legalize cannabis in the nation.”

Rep. Gates believes the state could bring in about $80 million in the first few years and could create thousands of jobs.

“People are moving out of Hawaii because they are seeing opportunity in this industry elsewhere where they can make a living,” Rep. Gates added. “We need to offer that to our local residents to succeed.”

Kapio Hanakahi is one of those residents who has grow facilities in Washington, California, and Kentucky. “We’re flourishing across the U.S.,” he said. “We’re thriving on the continent, and we’re just trying to come back home.”

Last year the House didn’t hear a similar bill passed by the Senate because the House judiciary chair said there were too many unanswered questions.

But because the public has shown interest in legalization, Judiciary Chair David Tarnas (D) Hawaii, Waimea, worked with the Attorney General to find safe ways to draft a safe bill.

“I do take this very seriously and we are trying to incorporate those best practices from other states,” explained Rep. Tarnas.

He said that means creating programs that protect public health and safety and using the tax revenue to fund educational campaigns that discourage keiki from drugs and remind drivers to drive sober.

Rep. Tarnas said he can’t predict the future on whether the bill will pass through all three house committees, but he did say the bill was the most comprehensive bill the legislature has considered in regard to cannabis.

“The goal is to steer people towards the regulated market because there are advantages to it, it’s going to be tested so its safe, no containments,” explained Rep. Tarnas. He said it helps with edibles and other hemp/cannabis items so people who don’t want to smoke, don’t have to.

Governor Green is in support of legalization. If it passes, the next three hearings it could become legal for people 21 and older in 2026

“We’ll see what happens, and how the hearing goes,” said House Speaker Scott Saiki. “I think the other thing for us is the opposition from law enforcement at the federal, state, and county level, from police, US attorney, and the prosecutor’s office so we’ll have to consider their comments.”

Rep. Tarnas said he hopes to craft the bill so the first year there won’t be additional appropriations. “There are already funds within the medical cannabis regulatory organization they have funds and personnel,” he said. “The goal is to transfer them to new authority the first year and they’d be able to operate with existing funds and transition licenses from the dispensaries.”

“This is a difficult budget year, so we’re looking to see if we can fund the first year with existing funds and personnel and then after the first year we can bring in revenue, tax revenue with legal cannabis sale to those 21 years and older,” he continued.

The bill first has to be heard by judiciary and AG committees, then consumer protection, and finance before it goes to Governor’s desk. Governor Green has already said he’d support legalizing recreational marijuana.

“I think if people actually look at the data and research and they look at other states that have done it, they’re going to see there are a whole host of problems when you legalize what is now a very powerful drug,” said Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm.

Alm said he was disappointed the Senate had passed the bill, but believes the House will look closely at the bill and the statistics from other states.

“What the other states have found when you legalize it is the black market actually grows because the number of people smoking marijuana increases,” Alm said. “I’m also worried that if they legalize it, you’re going to have illegal grows that the police are not going to be able to tell from legal grows.”

He said some states looked at fatal car collisions, and the percentage of drivers who tested positive for marijuana more than doubled.

“So, we’re going to have a lot of more people killed on the highway, and we’re going to have to be prosecuting more manslaughter cases, more negligent homicide cases and that’s a real concern.”