Honolulu, HI: Senate lawmakers recently passed a series of measures seeking to amend the state’s marijuana laws.
Senate Bill 2450 seeks to reduce minor marijuana possession penalties from a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $1000 fine, to a civil infraction punishable by a fine only. NORML presented written testimony in support of the measure, which would reallocate over $6 million in criminal justice costs annually. Senate lawmakers passed the bill unopposed on March 2, and the measure now awaits action from members of the House Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 2213 would amend Hawaii’s nearly ten-year-old medical marijuana law by allowing for the establishment of licensed ‘compassion centers’ to engage in the regulated and controlled production and distribution of cannabis for state-authorized patients. NORML also presented written testimony in support of this proposal, which passed the Senate by a 20 to 1 vote. On March 11, House lawmakers on the Health Committee and the Public Safety Committee overwhelmingly passed the measure. It now awaits action from House Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 2141 seeks to increase the quantities of medical marijuana that a patient may legally possess at any given time to ten cannabis plants and/or five ounces. Senators voted 24 to 1 in favor of the measure, which is now before the House Committees on Health, Public Safety, and Judiciary.
Hawaii Republican Gov. NORML Lingle has yet to publically comment on the measures, but has vetoed past efforts to reform the state’s marijuana laws.
For more information, please visit NORML’s ‘Take Action Center’ at: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/.