A Senate panel in Hawaii has approved a proposal to quintuple the amount of marijuana that a person can possess without risk of criminal charges.
The bill, SB 319, would increase the amount of cannabis that’s been decriminalized in Hawaii from the current 3 grams up to 15 grams. Possession of any amount of marijuana up to the 15-gram limit would remain a civil violation, punishable by a fine of $130.
The measure would also slightly adjust the amount of possessed marijuana that would qualify as “promoting a detrimental drug in the second degree,” raising it from the current one ounce (28.35 grams) to 30 grams.
Lawmakers on the Senate Committee on Judiciary voted to pass the measure, with only one member—Sen. Mike Gabbard (D)—voting no. Gabbard, who’s in the past been a supporter of legalizing marijuana in the state, cited testimony from the prohibitionist group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) in justifying his vote.
Also submitting written testimony ahead of Tuesday’s action were the state Department of the Attorney General, Office of the Public Defender and Department of Law Enforcement, among others.
The state AG’s office opposed the bill, asking lawmakers to put it on hold.
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