Hawaii-2018-SCR55-Introduced

WHEREAS, Hawaii and twenty-seven other states, the District of Columbia, and the United States territories of Guam and Puerto Rico have legalized the use of medical cannabis for the treatment of certain qualifying medical conditions; and

WHEREAS, the states of Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington have approved the legalization of adult recreational cannabis; and

WHEREAS, the states that have legalized the adult recreational use of cannabis generated approximately $655,000,000 in combined state tax revenue in 2017; and

WHEREAS, the State's main economic engine is tourism, and visitor numbers continue to increase year-over-year with a record-breaking 8,900,000 visitors to Hawaii in 2016; and

WHEREAS, visitors from states with legal adult recreational cannabis account for approximately one-third of the total annual visitors to Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the State has a need for additional tax revenue for a number of unfunded and underfunded mandates and priorities, as well as for new investments and enterprise; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2018, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Governor is urged to convene a task force to study the effects on states of state legalization of cannabis for adult recreational use of cannabis; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to include the following members or each member's respective designee:

(1) Lieutenant Governor;

(2) Director of Health;

(3) Director of Taxation;

(4) Director of Public Safety;

(5) Mayors of the City and County of Honolulu and Counties of Maui, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i;

(6) Administrator of the Honolulu Liquor Commission;

(7) Executive Director of the Drug Policy Forum of Hawai‘i; and

(8) Director of Hawaii Citizens for Legal Cannabis; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force, with guidance and administrative support from the Legislative Reference Bureau, is requested to study:

(1) The advantages and disadvantages of state legalization of cannabis;

(2) Tax revenues projected and realized as a result of state legalization of cannabis;

(3) Impacts on state judicial and correctional systems and associated costs; and

(4) The financial and enforcement impacts on other states that have not legalized the adult recreational use of cannabis; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force and Legislative Reference Bureau may consult with any public or private entity that may be of assistance, and any public entity of the State is requested to assist the task force by providing requested information or other assistance deemed relevant to the study; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation and any recommendations regarding the implementation of adult recreational cannabis policies in the State, to this body no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2019; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Lieutenant Governor; Director of Health; Director of Taxation; Director of Public Safety; Mayors of the City and County of Honolulu and Counties of Maui, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i; Administrator of the Honolulu Liquor Commission; Executive Director of the Drug Policy Forum of Hawai‘i; and Director of Hawaii Citizens for Legal Cannabis.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Legalized Recreational Cannabis; Effects on States; Task Force

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	55
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018
STATE OF HAWAII