HB 1549 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.

HB 1549 repeals the existing prohibition on drug paraphernalia under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. The bill directly affects the specific law that previously banned items like pipes or bongs used with controlled substances. It removes this ban without creating new regulations or penalties. This is a straightforward repeal of an existing legal restriction, with no new provisions or mechanisms added. The bill is currently in early stages of the legislative process.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 15, 2026 Last action Feb 18, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB1549 HB1549_HD1 · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill removes the prohibition on drug paraphernalia to reduce stigma and improve public health outcomes, while also updating the bill's version number and author information. The most significant policy change is the effective date, which is set to July 1, 3000, effectively delaying the law's implementation indefinitely. Additionally, the text includes updated citations to recent studies supporting the repeal of paraphernalia laws.
Scope change
The bill's scope expands by repealing the ban on drug paraphernalia, removing criminal penalties for possession, and aligning the law with public health strategies to reduce harm and racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
REQUIREMENT

Removed the legal prohibition against possessing or selling drug paraphernalia.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date to July 1, 3000, deferring the implementation of the repeal.

TECHNICAL

Updated author names, version numbers, and formatting metadata to reflect House District 1 amendments.

SCOPE

Added explanatory text citing recent medical literature and public health data to justify the repeal of paraphernalia laws.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
1
Committee
3
Feb 18, 2026
Committee
Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 357-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Marten, Takenouchi; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Hartsfield, Olds; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia; and Excused: none.
lower
Jan 26, 2026
Committee
Referred to HLT, JHA, referral sheet 1
lower
Jan 21, 2026
Introduced
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
lower
Jan 15, 2026
Introduced
Prefiled.
lower
12 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors