Lawmakers to take up housing, marijuana, sex trade and ivory

Lawmakers to take up housing, marijuana, sex trade and ivory

HONOLULU — Hawaii lawmakers are heading into a busy week when bills have to be passed out of the House and Senate and sent over to the other chamber. Those that don’t make it over the hurdle will die.

They’re taking up proposals on creating more affordable housing, figuring out the medical marijuana dispensary system and legalizing industrial hemp. They’re also deciding how to treat victims of sex trafficking, whether to ban ivory sales and how to regulate fantasy sports.

Several police accountability bills will be up for a vote, touching on body cameras, untested rape kits and investigations of police-involved deaths.

Here’s a sampling of the proposals:

AFFORDABLE HOUSING — Gov. David Ige wants to increase the availability of low-income housing so that more people have a roof over their heads. One of Ige’s bills, SB2833, would change the state’s low-income housing tax credit to encourage developers to build more of the housing stock that’s in such high demand.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA — Hawaii’s first medical marijuana dispensaries can open as soon as July, and lawmakers are pushing a bill, HB2707, that would create a medical marijuana advisory commission. It would also set rules for the state’s future industry and allow for medical marijuana to be transported inter-island for laboratory testing.

FANTASY SPORTS — Nearly 60 million Americans play fantasy sports, and state lawmakers across the country are trying to figure out how to regulate sites like FanDuel and DraftKings. A proposed Hawaii law, SB2429, would create the violation of promoting fantasy competitions if someone is under age 21 or advertises the game at a school or college.

RAPE EVIDENCE — The Honolulu Police Department has about 1,500 rape kits that haven’t been tested, one of many police departments around the U.S. with untested evidence. A bill in the Senate, SB2366, would require more reporting from law enforcement departments about the situation.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OVERSIGHT — A group of senators want an independent board to investigate when officers are involved in incidents that result in death or serious injuries. A bill, SB2196, would set up the board within the department of the attorney general. But some oppose the idea because it would make reports from criminal investigations confidential which are currently accessible to the public.

POLICE BODY CAMERAS — Body cameras are seen by proponents as ways to protect both the public and the police during tense interactions, and lawmakers are working on figuring out how to set up the system. Some police departments oppose the bill, citing financial burdens and other problems. A bill, SB2411, which would set up rules and requirements for wearing body cameras, is up for a vote in the Senate.

By wire sources