Bill Legalizing Marijuana in Hawaii Dead For Session

By Dave Smith

File photo courtesy MPD.

Hawaii will not be joining Washington and Colorado as states where recreational use of marijuana is legal.

At least not this year.

A bill that would have allowed people 21 or older to possess up to one ounce of pot has died in the state House.

House Bill 150, which was introduced by House Speaker Joe Souki and also enjoyed the support of House Majority Leader Scott Saiki, died without so much as a hearing.

Karl Rhoads, chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, one of three committees to which the bill was referred, today said that he decided to kill the bill because it did not appear there was enough votes to move it out of the House.

The bill would have given the Department of Public Safety, the state agency in charge of prisons, the role of adopting rules for the licensing and operation of marijuana dispensaries. It would not have allowed private sales of marijuana.

Bills authorizing personal use of marijuana were approved by voters in Washington and Colorado in November.