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Conferees consider nursing-home provisions in SB118; Senate resists adding therapeutic-cannabis language
Summary
A conference on SB118 covered DHHS-requested nursing-home changes and a late addition to allow therapeutic-cannabis cultivation; the Senate said it would not accept cannabis language attached to a bill focused on nursing-home funding and operations.
A committee of conference convened at 11:00 a.m. to consider Senate Bill 118, which includes several Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) requests related to nursing-home residents and Hampstead Hospital.
Senator Susan Bridal, the bill sponsor, told conferees SB118 would allow the personal-needs allowance for nursing-home residents to reflect annual Social Security increases rather than a five-year schedule, clarify prorated bonuses for state employees who later moved to Dartmouth Hitchcock, and establish a maintenance fund to cover expected Dartmouth Hitchcock rent payments of about $3 million a year for Hampstead Hospital.
Representatives and senators discussed that House conferees had added language to permit therapeutic cannabis cultivation (referenced as HB 53). Senator Bridal said adding that provision to a bill aimed at nursing-home and hospital funding was not acceptable for the elderly populations served and that the Senate position on cannabis this session has been to oppose related additions. Conferees noted the governor’s opposition to cannabis language could jeopardize the entire bill if it remained.
DHHS representatives asked the conference to adopt the House’s technical tweaks to the bill (other than the cannabis provision) because the adjustments provide the department needed flexibility without changing the bill’s fiscal implications. Deputy Commissioner Marissa Henn joined DHHS in urging adoption of the House amendment as drafted for departmental purposes.
The conferees caucused, said they were not prepared to make a final decision, and agreed to resume the conference later in the week to try to reconcile the House and Senate positions.
