Ige vetoes 8 bills; allows medical marijuana, autism bills

HONOLULU — Hawaii Gov. David Ige is vetoing eight bills and approving many other proposals, bringing an end to the 2015 Legislative session.

Ige announced Tuesday that he would veto a bill that would have allowed University of Hawaii graduate student assistants to unionize. He also vetoed a bill that would have created a statewide sex trafficking ban.

House Speaker Joseph Souki said the Legislature will not call a special session to override the governor’s vetoes. Instead, they’ll look into addressing those concerns in the next session.

Here are some of the many proposals that the governor allowed to stand:

Marijuana dispensaries

The state will create a system of medical marijuana dispensaries 15 years after the drug was legalized in the state. The development could provide relief to the state’s 13,000 patients who have been left to grow their own marijuana or buy it on the black market.

Autism treatment

One bill that made the cut will ensure that insurance companies cover diagnosis and treatment of autism disorders for children up to age 14.

Identification cards

Another successful bill would make it easier for homeless individuals and other vulnerable populations to get driver’s licenses.

Ethanol mandate

The Legislature passed a bill that puts an end to a requirement that the corn-based additive be mixed into fuel sold in the state, putting the state at the front of a national discussion over the future of ethanol in gasoline.

Powdered alcohol

Lawmakers passed a bill to ban powdered alcohol before the product went on sale in the state. The powder product makes cocktails and other alcoholic drinks when it’s mixed with water. It won federal approval in March, but it won’t be sold in Hawaii.