STAND. COM. REP. NO.  122

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1243

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 1243 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEMP,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to amend Act 14, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020 (Act 14), to:

 

(1)  Require hemp product labels to include:

 

(A)  The product name;

 

(B)  Ingredients;

 

(C)  The name and business address of the hemp processor; and

 

(D)  A warning that the product has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration; and

 

(2)  Prohibit the sale, offer, or distribution for sale of hemp products to any individual under twenty-one years of age.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Hemp Farmers Association, Hawaii Royal Hemp, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Hawaiian Choice, and three individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Retail Merchants of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that Act 14, was passed to allow the growth of hemp in the State through the United States Department of Agriculture's hemp production program as the state Department of Agriculture's industrial hemp pilot program was set to expire in June 2021.  Timely passage of Act 14 was important to ensure continuation of existing hemp production operations.  However, Act 14 does not completely address the manufacture of hemp products, an important next step to fully realize the Legislature's intent to allow the development of a legal and regulated hemp industry within the State.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting a preamble;

 

     (2)  Allowing and regulating the manufacture of certain hemp products in the State;

 

     (3)  Clarifying the respective roles of persons growing hemp, processing hemp, and manufacturing hemp products;

 

     (4)  Clarifying the distinction between processed hemp and hemp products;

 

     (5)  Clarifying the purpose and function of the registry system;

 

     (6)  Clarifying the scope of regulated hemp products and prohibitions;

 

     (7)  Clarifying the Department of Agriculture's rulemaking and enforcement authorities;

 

     (8)  Removing the sunset date of Act 14; and

 

     (9)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1243, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1243, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair