REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO REMOVE CANNABIS FROM THE FEDERAL CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT, PROVIDE SUPPORT TO STATES THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF CLEARING CANNABIS OFFENSES FROM DEFENDANTS' RECORDS, AND FACILITATE THE FULL SPECTRUM OF BANKING SERVICES FOR CANNABIS-RELATED BUSINESSES.

Hawaii's Senate Concurrent Resolution 85 requests the U.S. Congress to take three specific actions: remove cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act, support states in clearing past cannabis possession convictions from criminal records, and enable full banking services for cannabis-related businesses. This resolution directly affects cannabis businesses (including dispensaries and related services) operating under state laws, as well as individuals with past cannabis-related arrests - Hawaii reports over 10,000 cannabis arrests since 2011, including 608 in 2020 despite decriminalization. The resolution cites ongoing federal barriers, such as banks refusing service due to cannabis’s Schedule I status, and notes that 2.5 million records have been cleared in other states since 2018. As a non-binding request to Congress, it does not change federal law but urges legislative action.