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A former Honolulu mayor and a former state attorney general ask the Hawaii Supreme Court to permit lawyers to serve medical marijuana dispensary applicants.

Pointing to federal law, the state Supreme Court Disciplinary Board says attorneys can’t help clients establish or operate medical cannabis companies.

Eight business licenses will soon be up for grabs to grow medical marijuana and operate Hawaii’s first dispensaries.

Will the public get input into crucial rulemaking and a transparent view of how dispensary licenses are awarded?

Competition will be fierce for Hawaii’s eight licenses to grow and sell medical cannabis. Many other types of businesses are looking for a piece of the action as well.

Issuing a press release instead of holding a bill-signing ceremony, the governor quietly approves the establishment of a dispensary system.

The measure would allow 16 dispensaries to open statewide next summer. Its passage comes 15 years after medical marijuana was legalized in the state, but with no legal means of buying it.

There could be as many as 16 retail dispensaries in Hawaii by next summer, including six on Oahu, if the measure becomes law.

UPDATE: After negotiators failed to strike a deal Friday night, legislative leaders removed Senate Committee Chairman Josh Green and pushed the deadline to Monday.

UPDATED: A panel will reconvene Monday to consider the bill after Senate leadership kicked Sen. Josh Green off the conference committee.