Hawaii: Gov. Lingle vetoes medical marijuana task force bill; ask House to join Senate in overriding the veto

Yesterday, Gov. Linda Lingle (R) vetoed HB 2675, which would create a task force on medical marijuana issues. The Senate swiftly responded, voting to override the veto in a 21-1 vote yesterday. Patients need your help to urge the House to follow suit.

Please call your state representative today and urge him or her to override Gov. Lingle's veto of HB 2675. If you are directed to voicemail, please leave a brief message, such as: "Please do as your fellow legislators in the Senate have done and override Gov. Lingle's veto of HB 2675, the medical marijuana task force bill. This is a good bill that temporarily establishes a group of experts to examine current issues regarding Hawaii's medical marijuana law."

Gov. Lingle's veto followed the "intent to veto" notice she issued for HB 2675 a few weeks ago, ignoring requests from voters to sign the bill into law. 

HB 2675 would create a task force to examine ongoing issues related to Hawaii's medical marijuana program, including how much medical marijuana constitutes an adequate supply, growing facilities, and the inter-island transport of medical marijuana. The task force would be comprised of state officials, physicians, and patients.

For the task force bill to be enacted, two-thirds of the House must follow the lead of their colleagues in the Senate. That means that 34 of 51 representatives must stand up for medical marijuana patients in order for this legislation to become law.

If you would like to contact Gov. Lingle and let her know how disappointed you are that she chose to ignore the value of this legislation, please call her office at (808) 586-0034 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and let her staff know that Gov. Lingle made a mistake and that you hope she will be more supportive of medical marijuana in the future. While it is important to give your elected officials feedback on their performance, it is imperative that you do so politely — please remember this when expressing your displeasure with Gov. Lingle's veto of HB 2675.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project and all of our allies. If you have any questions about marijuana policy reform in Hawaii, please send an e-mail to Nathan@mpp.org.