As Hawaii’s new legislative session kicks off this week, Democrats in control of the Senate say that legalizing marijuana for adults remains a top policy priority for the new year, framing the reform as a means to boost the state’s economy.
The Senate majority announced their legislative priorities in a release last week, listing cannabis legalization among a host of other issues around emergency preparedness, workforce development, education, natural resources and housing.
The marijuana mention appears in a section about economic development and infrastructure. “The Senate remains committed to diversifying and expanding Hawai‘i’s economy, as well as improving infrastructure throughout the State,” the document says:
“In 2024, the Senate will focus on utilizing private-public partnerships and off-balance sheet financing proposed by the Department of Budget and Finance to identify alternative revenue streams for programs and projects; increasing investments in repairs of State facilities on each island; exploring renting out vacant State-owned facilities to generate revenue; investing in emerging industries to diversify the economy, such as film and technology; improving access to potable water; improving transit-oriented development infrastructure; improving and maintaining aging school structures; expanding alternative energy infrastructure through the installation of electric vehicle charging stations and the wheeling of electricity;
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