Senate Bill 669, a measure that would legalize adult-use cannabis in Hawaiʻi, passed the Senate Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means today.  

During the hearing, Senator Jarrett Keohokalole (District 24 – Kāneʻohe and Kailua), who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, proposed a number of amendments that were incorporated to tackle issues that had been raised in earlier hearings. 

These amendments include:  

  • Adding language establishing civil penalties for unlicensed cannabis grow and distribution activities 
  • Adding language that protects employers who seek to prohibit cannabis use among their employees  
  • Prohibiting advertising within 1,000 feet of any youth-centered area 
  • Proposing licensing of cultivation, manufacturing, testing, and retail facilities that ensure a properly regulated industry while also preventing future consolidation and monopoly control of cannabis dispensaries 

“Today marks a significant step forward in the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Hawaiʻi. These amendments are reflective of the Senate’s commitment to ensuring a fair and well-regulated cannabis market that provides safe access to both adult consumers and existing medical patients,” noted Senator Keohokalole. “If legalization of adult-use cannabis is something that is supported by the Governor, we hope his administration, which has thus far opposed every proposal to legalize adult-use cannabis, will work with us to bring this to fruition.” 

34 thoughts on “Adult-Use Cannabis Bill Heads to Senate Floor for Final Consideration”
  1. […] hearings. Sen. Keohokalole chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, where amendments were addressed, including establishing penalties for unlicensed cultivation, protecting employers who want to […]

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