HI SCR147

Request the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a comprehensive study on impacts of decriminalizing marijuana possession for personal use in Hawaii on state administrative, judicial, and local law enforcement systems.

Study must assess potential impacts of treating marijuana possession as an administrative or civil violation rather than a crime, including feasibility of eliminating arrests and detention for suspected possession.

Study to evaluate creating new administrative processes versus retaining judicial adjudication, and analyze separate impacts of decriminalizing possession of one ounce or less versus more than one ounce.

Study to examine current impacts of marijuana possession laws on Hawaii's youth, racial and ethnic disparities in arrests, county-level variations, and collateral sanctions affecting individuals.

Legislative Reference Bureau must submit written report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the 2018 Regular Session convenes, with assumption that penalties would be $100 for first offense and $200 for subsequent offenses.