Hawaii Senate Democrats have announced that legalizing marijuana is one of their top priorities for 2024.
In March of last year Hawaii’s full Senate in an overwhelming 22 to 3 vote passed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana. The measure failed to advance out of the House of Representatives and sent to Governor Josh Green before the end of the legislative session.
Now, Senate Democrats, who control 23 of the chamber’s 25 seats, say it’s a key priority to pass a similar marijuana legalization bill this year, in hopes that the House will act on it.
In an announcement detailing their priorities for the 2024 legislative session, Democrats included “legalizing adult-use recreational cannabis” among the top issues they plan to focus on.
“The Senate majority is confident that, through hard-work and collaboration with our colleagues in the Senate minority and House of Representatives, we will make significant progress on these important issues and provide much-needed assistance to our Maui Nui ‘ohana as we navigate this recovery process together,” says Senate Majority Leader Dru Mamo Kanuha.
The measure passed by the Senate last year would allow those 21 and older to possess up to 30 grams of marijuana and cultivate up to six marijuana plants (three of which could be mature). An independent Hawaii Cannabis Regulatory Authority would be established under the Department of Health to regulate the industry and licensed marijuana retail outlets. Marijuana products would be subject to a 10% tax, and marijuana stores would be allowed to deduct businesses expenses as part of the state income tax.
It’s unclear if Democrats plan to revive and repass this legislation, or if they’ll instead advance a different proposal. It’s possible they could follow the marijuana legalization roadmap announced in November by Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez.
According to polling released last year, the public is on their side, with 52% of adults in Hawaii in support of legalizing marijuana, with just 31% opposed and 17% undecided.
