Two Hawaii legislative committees on Tuesday approved a bill to legalize recreational weed and establish one agency to regulate medical and adult-use cannabis and hemp.

House Bill 1246 also establishes taxes on the retail sale of adult-use cannabis and the sale of medical cannabis. It would add new traffic offenses relating to the consumption or possession of marijuana or marijuana concentrate, and it would make conforming amendments related to the legalization of personal adult use of cannabis.

The 300-page House Bill 1246 would create the Hawaiʻi Cannabis and Hemp Office that would oversee the state’s hemp and medical and recreational marijuana programs. Recreational marijuana would be taxed at a 14% rate.

When David Tarnas first served in the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives some 30 years ago, marijuana was already a major topic of discussion.