HB 1246 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO CANNABIS.

Summary

Establishes the Hawaii Cannabis and Hemp Office within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to regulate all aspects of the cannabis plant. Beginning 1/1/2026, legalizes the personal adult use of cannabis. Establishes taxes on the retail sale of adult-use cannabis and the sale of medical cannabis. Adds new traffic offenses relating to the consumption or possession of marijuana or marijuana concentrate. Makes conforming amendments related to the legalization of personal adult use of cannabis. Beginning 1/1/2026, decriminalizes certain drug offenses related to marijuana and marijuana concentrate. Transfers the personnel and assets of the Department of Health and assets of the Department of Agriculture relating to cannabis to the Hawaii Cannabis and Hemp Office. Establishes various positions within state entities to regulate the personal adult use of cannabis. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Last action Feb 6, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB1246 → HB1246_HD1 · 10 edits

MAJOR

This bill transforms Hawaii's cannabis framework from a dual medical and adult-use system into a unified regulatory structure. It creates a new independent Hawaii Cannabis and Hemp Office to oversee all cannabis activities, establishes a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026 for adult-use legalization, and introduces new taxes on cannabis sales. The bill also expands hemp regulations, creates social equity grant programs, and adds public health and education funding requirements.

Scope change

The bill significantly expands scope by creating a unified regulatory body for all cannabis (medical, adult-use, and hemp) rather than separate systems, and adds new hemp-related provisions including grant programs and stricter THC limits enforcement.

INSTITUTIONAL

Establishes a new independent Hawaii Cannabis and Hemp Office within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to regulate all cannabis activities

TIMELINE

Sets January 1, 2026 as the start date for legal adult-use cannabis sales, providing a six-month preparation period

FISCAL

Creates a special fund with subaccounts for social equity grants, public health/education, public safety, and hemp programs funded by new cannabis taxes

REQUIREMENT

Requires all cannabis businesses to obtain tax permits and pay taxes on retail sales and medical cannabis sales

Establishes extensive public health protections including education campaigns and financial assistance for addiction treatment

Requires seed-to-sale tracking systems and security measures including security cameras for licensed businesses

DEFINITION

Expands definitions to include comprehensive hemp regulations and clarifies THC concentration limits at 0.3% on dry weight basis

ENFORCEMENT

Mandates background checks for office employees and maintains county law enforcement authority to prosecute violations

ELIGIBILITY

Creates social equity grant program for applicants with at least 51% ownership by residents of disproportionately impacted areas

TECHNICAL

Includes numerous administrative provisions for rules adoption, reporting requirements, and advisory board establishment

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 6, 2025

Committee

Recommitted to JHA/AGR with Representative(s) Amato, Belatti, Cochran, Iwamoto, Perruso, Souza voting no and Representative(s) Ward excused.

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Committee

Reported from JHA/AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 247) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Perruso; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Kahaloa, Todd; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Perruso; 4 Noes: Representative(s) Hashem, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to JHA/AGR, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 22, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

13 primary · 0 co-sponsors