STAND. COM. REP. NO. 773

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 970

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 970, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIL SERVICE EXEMPTION FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to extend the temporary exemption from chapter 76, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for the five full-time medical marijuana dispensary program personnel at the Department of Health, as authorized by Act 241, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015.

 

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from Patients Without Time.

 

     Your Committee finds that timely implementation of the Medical Marijuana Dispensary Program was delayed in part because, despite the exemption from chapter 76, Hawaii Revised Statutes, local workers with specialized experience were not immediately available for hire.  Extending the exemption for certain dispensary program personnel is necessary to ensure that implementation of the program is not disrupted and further delayed by the loss of incumbent exempt personnel.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Making a technical amendment to conform with recommended drafting conventions; and

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date from June 30, 2017, to June 29, 2017, so that the measure will become effective prior to the June 30, 2017, expiration of the previously authorized exemption from chapter 76, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 970, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 970, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair