Two more Senate committee have now passed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana, bringing the total to four.
In a 6 to 0 vote, the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee passed Senate Bill 3335 yesterday, moving it to the Ways and Means Committee. The same day, that committee approved the bill 7 to 5, sending it to a vote of the full Senate.
Filed last month by Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, SB 3335 would legalize the possession, personal cultivation and license distribution of recreational marijuana for those 21 and older. The Hawaii Cannabis Authority and Cannabis Control Board would be established within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and tasked with overseeing licensing and regulations for the legal marijuana industry.
The measure would place a 14% tax on recreational marijuana sales, with the tax being 4% for medical marijuana. It would allow those with convictions for marijuana-related crimes that would be legal under the bill to have the charges expunged from their record.
Last session the Senate voted 22 to 3 to pass a different marijuana legalization bill that ultimately stalled in the House of Representatives. However, proponents of legalization remain optimistic that if the Senate passes SB 3335 before the March 7 deadline, it will be given serious consideration in the House, especially given that it’s modelled after an outline put forth by Attorney General Anne E. Lopez.
According to polling released last year, 52% of adults in Hawaii in support of legalizing marijuana, with just 31% opposed.
Recently we named Hawaii one of four states on track to legalize marijuana in 2024. You can find the full list by clicking here.
