STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1383

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 55

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 55 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO ABIDE BY STATE LAWS RELATING TO THE MEDICAL USE OF MARIJUANA,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request state and local law enforcement officers to abide by state laws relating to the medical use of marijuana.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by two private organizations and one individual.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by one state agency and three county agencies.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that the benefits from the prescribed medical use of marijuana outweigh the legal concerns of state and local law enforcement officers of their duty to confiscate and criminalize the use of marijuana.  Your Committee also finds that the medical use of cannabis is permitted under the existing laws of the State of Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that the prescribed medical use of marijuana has helped many severely-ill people in Hawaii in a safe and cost-effective manner in comparison to other alternative treatment measures that those patients would have to endure to receive adequate treatment or care.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 55, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 55, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair