Chairman Kyle Yamashita, who represents Maui's interior, said the House Finance Committee will not consider a bill that would legalize the personal use of marijuana for adults.
“The path to legalizing cannabis for adult use remains a highly divisive issue,” he said in a statement. “We made the most progress this year, with SB3335 narrowly passing its second reading. Due to numerous concerns regarding the implementation of this bill, the House has decided not to have further consideration in the House Finance Committee. This decision was reinforced by an overwhelming “no” vote from members on the House floor. ”
Yamashita called this year “an unusually tough fiscal year” and said the commission must prioritize costs from the Aug. 8 wildfires in Lahaina and the Upcountry.
“In an unusually fiscally challenging year, the Commission must prioritize addressing wildfire-related expenses in the wake of the Aug. 8 tragedy in Lahaina and interior Maui.” Ensuring the recovery of our communities continues to impose significant costs on the national budget, and the full cost of implementing adult-use cannabis legalization is unknown. At a time like this, it would be incumbent upon us not to allocate funds to protect critical government services, including education, infrastructure, roads, and other essential services for Hawaii residents and kupuna.”
“As we navigate the challenges of managing the largest wildfire recovery effort in Hawaii's history, we recognize that now is not the right time to do so,” the Treasurer said.
“After hearing overwhelming testimony and serious concerns from members of Hawai'i's law enforcement industry, this bill is designed to address the impact this bill will have on our children, our economy, and our overall well-being,” said House Speaker Scott Psaki. We need to consider it further.”
The move to hold the bill in committee would invalidate it in this session.
