Section 4-161-2 - Licensing(a) Each applicant for an industrial hemp license shall submit a signed, complete, accurate, and legible application, on a form provided by the department, as specified by statute, in which the applicant plans to grow industrial hemp, which shall include the following: (1) The applicant's name, mailing address, and phone number in Hawaii and, if applicable electronic mail address;(2) If the applicant is an individual or partnership, the date of birth of the individual or partners;(3) If the applicant is any business entity other than an individual, partnership, or institution of higher education documentation that the entity is authorized to do business in Hawaii;(4) The cultivated variety that will be sown;(5) The source and amount of seed, cuttings, or seedlings to be used; (A) If seed importation assistance from the department is requested, the applicant shall be responsible for all costs associated with the seed purchase and importation.(B) If cuttings or seedlings are the applicant's initial source and are approved in a pre-planting report, a movement report shall be submitted prior to any movement of the cuttings or seedlings and shall include the location from which the product will be moved, the mode of transportation, the location to which the product will be moved, and the seed cultivar of the product. The department may require inspection or sampling of the product prior to movement.(6) The number of acres to be cultivated for seed, viable grain, industrial products, or any combination thereof;(7) The global positioning system coordinates in decimal degrees from the central most point of the licensed land area and a map showing the location of the licensed area in terms of its legal address or legal description;(8) A statement that the applicant is the fee simple owner of the licensed land area to be used for the cultivation or a statement signed by the fee simple owner of the licensed land area indicating that the owner has consented to that use;(9) The address of the place in Hawaii where the applicant will keep the records, books, electronic data, or other documents that are required by this chapter;(10) The name and address of each place where the industrial hemp is to be stored, sold, or provided, indicating for each place the form of the industrial hemp; and(11) The applicant's acknowledgement and agreement to the following terms and conditions: (A) Any information obtained by the department may be publicly disclosed and provided to law enforcement without further notice to the applicant or licensee;(B) The applicant has the legal authority to grant the department access to the proposed licensed land area for inspection and sampling and agrees to allow any inspection and sampling the department deems necessary;(C) The applicant agrees to pay for any sampling and analysis cost the department deems necessary;(D) The applicant agrees to submit all required reports by the applicable due dates specified by the department; and(E) The applicant and any partners, directors, or members have not been convicted of any felony related to the possession, production, sale, or distribution of a controlled substance in any form in this or any other country.(b) An application may be received, as specified by statute, and shall be signed by the applicant or, in the case of a business entity, one of its officers, directors, or partners, as the case may be, and indicate that all information and documents submitted in support of the application are correct and complete to the best of the applicant's knowledge.(c) Any incomplete application for a license or an application received after April 1 of any year, shall be denied.(d) In addition to the application form, each applicant for a license shall submit a non-refundable $500 application fee by certified check or cashier's check delivered or mailed by certified mail, return receipt. If the fee does not accompany the application, the application for a license shall be deemed incomplete.(e) The annual license fee for production of industrial hemp shall be $250 plus $2 per acre, unprorated. The initial license fee shall be due prior to the issuance of a license, by certified check or cashier's check delivered or mailed by certified mail, return receipt. The subsequent annual license fee shall be due prior to one year after the date of issuance of the license. Failure to pay any license fees may result in denial, suspension, or revocation of a license and other penalties set forth in section 4-161-6.(f) Each license shall allow a licensee to cultivate up to a maximum of ten acres of industrial hemp on a single contiguous licensed land area. Additional or non-contiguous acreage shall require a separate license.(g) Licenses shall be issued to successful applicants on a quarterly basis, in March, June, September, and December of the application year. Any changes to information in an application occurring prior to the issuance of a license shall be immediately reported to the department. Failure to report any changes may result in denial, suspension, or revocation of a license and other penalties set forth in section 4-161-6. Upon successful application, return of a signed license agreement, and remittal of the license fee by certified check or cashier's check, the applicant shall receive a license with a date of issuance according to the quarterly issuance schedule.
(h) All licenses shall be valid for two years from the date of issuance, subject to renewal or revocation by the department as set forth in this chapter.(i) To renew a license, applicants shall:(1) Submit an application form at least sixty days prior to the expiration date of the license specifying that it is an application to renew a previous unrevoked license, along with a renewal application fee of $350, by certified check or cashier's check delivered or mailed by certified mail, return receipt.(2) Upon successful application, return of a new signed license agreement, and remittal of the license fee by certified check or cashier's check, the applicant for renewal shall receive a renewed license valid for two years from the date of issuance, subject to renewal or revocation by the department as set forth in this chapter.(j) Any licensee who wishes to alter the licensed land area on which the licensee shall conduct industrial hemp cultivation shall, before altering the area, submit to the department an updated address, global positioning system location, and map specifying the proposed alteration. If the department approves the altered land area, the department shall notify the licensee in writing that the licensee may begin to cultivate industrial hemp on the altered land area.(k) A licensee who wishes to change the cultivar grown shall submit to the department the name of the new, approved cultivar to be grown. If the department approves the change to the cultivar, the department shall notify the licensee in writing that the licensee may begin to cultivate the new, approved cultivar.(l) Licenses shall not be sold, assigned, transferred, or encumbered.(m) No land area shall be included in more than one license at the same time.(n) Each non-contiguous land area on which industrial hemp is grown shall require a separate license.(o) Incomplete applications shall not be processed, and application fees shall not be refunded.(p) Any change to information provided in the application shall be submitted within ten days of when the change occurs. Failure to provide accurate information or to update any information in a timely manner may result in denial, suspension, or revocation of a license and other penalties set forth in section 4-161-6. [Eff 9/22/2017] (Auth: HRS § 141-40) (Imp: HRS § 141-33)