Hawaii House lawmakers in two key committees this week voted to advance the Senate-passed cannabis legalization bill, Marijuana Moment reports.
The proposal passed the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee 7-3 and the Agriculture and Food Systems Committee 5-1. The bill seeks to legalize adult-use cannabis possession starting January 1, 2026, and would regulate the cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution of cannabis products.
The House amendments so far include reducing the penalty for selling cannabis to a minor from a felony to a misdemeanor, loosening the “open container” language for possessing cannabis products in vehicles, and other changes addressing some of the concerns expressed about the proposal, the report said.
According to comments offered by the ACLU of Hawaii, the legalization proposal “includes provisions that will likely increase criminal convictions and incarceration for conduct that does not jeopardize public safety.” The advocates also noted that the draft “falls short” in terms of social equity and reparative justice.
Sponsored by Rep. David Tarnas (D) in the House, the bill closely resembles a legalization proposal put forward last year by state Attorney General Anne Lopez (D).
“I am really trying to follow the lead of the attorney general to come up with a balanced, reasonable and moderate bill that protects public safety and public health, and basically sets up a regulatory framework so that we can have an adult-use cannabis industry that will function well and is fair and reasonable.” — Tarnas (D), via Marijuana Moment
Senate lawmakers already voted 19-6 in favor of the proposal.
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