Jill Tokuda in HI legislative records

On Gun Control: Require background checks to register gun from out of state

SB69: Requires county police departments under certain conditions to fingerprint, photograph, and perform background checks on individuals who wish to register a firearm that was procured out-of-state.

Hawai'i Free Press summary: These requirements are so onerous that if one acquired an antique firearm or an unusable or unserviceable firearm, then they would still have to undergo the entire background check, registration and fingerprinting process. Hunters and shooters beware, precious vacation, shooting and hunting time will be spent in long registration lines while fingerprinting, photographing and background checks are conducted on you and your already legally-possessed firearm!

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 23-1-1 on Apr/30/13; State Sen. Jill Tokuda voted YES; Passed House 48-3-0 on Apr/30/13; Signed by Governor Neil Abercrombie on Jul/9/13

Source: Hawai'i Free Press on Hawaii legislative voting record SB69 Apr 30, 2013

On Drugs: Establish rules for medical marijuana dispensaries

Legislation summary: HB 321: Establishes a licensing system for medical marijuana dispensaries. Prohibits counties from enacting zoning regulations that discriminate against licensed dispensaries and production centers. Allows a qualifying patient, primary caregiver, or an owner or employee of a medical marijuana production center or dispensary to transport medical marijuana in any public place. Allows persons authorized to use and possess medical marijuana in other states to be treated similarly to qualifying patients in this State. Authorizes the department of health to conduct criminal history checks on license applicants, licensees, and prospective employees of dispensaries and production centers.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 36-13-2 on 3/10/15; Passed Senate 24-0-1 on 4/14/15; State Sen. Jill Tokuda voted YES; Signed by Governor Ige on 7/15/2015, as Act 241.

Source: Hawaii legislative voting records: HB 321 Apr 14, 2015

On Drugs: Allow transport between islands of medical marijuana

HB 290: Authorizes qualifying patients or qualifying out-of-state patients to transport medical cannabis between islands for their personal medical use.

Marijuana Moment blog summary: Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level--and airspace is federal --hence enacting the bill could lead travelers to "erroneously believe they are immune from federal prosecution."

Veto Message: lnter-island transport necessarily entails travel outside the jurisdiction of the State of Hawai'i, as the State only has jurisdiction up to three nautical miles offshore. Because Hawaii's laws cannot completely regulate the interisland transport of cannabis, a state statute purporting to allow interisland transport may give false comfort to some that such transport is protected from federal enforcement.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 39-12-0 on Apr/30/19; Passed Senate 24-1-0 on Apr/30/19; State Sen. Jill Tokuda voted YES; Vetoed by Governor David Ige on Jul/9/19

Source: Marijuana Moment blog on Hawaii voting record HB 290 Apr 30, 2019

On Corporations: Allow taxing of short term rental accommodations

SB1292: Requires hosting platforms that collect booking services to register as tax collection agents and collect GET and TAT for transient accommodation bookings.

Honolulu Civil Beat analysis: Critics say SB1292 would require operators of short-term rentals to pay transient accommodation and general excise taxes, with hosting platforms like Airbnb and HomeAway acting as tax collectors on behalf of the state. Sen. Laura Thielen compared illegal vacation rentals to a crime that prevents local people from being able to own and rent homes.

Veto message: The State's taxation of transient accommodations through hosting platforms should complement the counties' regulation of transient accommodations. While SB1292 would not legalize these operations, it could be viewed as legitimizing these operations.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 50-1-0 on 4/9/19; Passed Senate 13-12-0 on 4/30; State Sen. Jill Tokuda voted YES; Vetoed by Gov. Ige on 7/9

Source: Honolulu Civil Beat on Hawaii voting record SB1292 Apr 30, 2019

The above quotations are from Legislative voting records for Hawaii House and Senate. Click here for other excerpts from Legislative voting records for Hawaii House and Senate. Click here for other excerpts by Jill Tokuda. Click here for other excerpts by other Governors.
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Page last updated: Feb 13, 2023