Lawmakers in both chambers of the Hawaii Legislature have filed companion bills that would place a constitutional amendment before voters to legalize the adult use of marijuana, marking a renewed bicameral push to let residents decide the issue at the ballot box.
In the House of Representatives, House Bill 1624 was filed by a coalition of 14 lawmakers, led by State Representative David Tarnas (D). A matching measure –Senate Bill 2420– has also been introduced in the Senate by Senator Joy San Buenaventura (D), giving the effort formal backing in both chambers as the 2026 legislative session gets underway.
The legislation would amend Article XVI of the Hawaii Constitution to allow individuals 21 and older to use and possess a personal-use amount of marijuana. Rather than directly establishing a regulated market, the proposal would require the Legislature to enact laws governing the use, manufacture, distribution, sale, possession, regulation and taxation of marijuana within the state.
If approved by lawmakers, the amendment would be placed on the November 2026 general election ballot as a statewide question. Voters would be asked whether the constitution should be amended to authorize adult-use marijuana and require the Legislature to set up a regulatory and tax framework. Because the measure is constitutional in nature, voter approval would be required before any changes could take effect.
The proposed amendment specifies that, subject to future legislative action, adult use and possession could take effect on or after July 1, 2027. Any regulatory system, including licensing and taxation, would be left entirely to lawmakers to design in subsequent legislation.
In recent sessions legislation to legalize recreational cannabis has been given approval by the Senate and multiple House committees, but has fallen short each time of reaching the governor.
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