House approves measure allowing medical cannabis use in hospitals, nursing homes (‘Ryan’s Law’ addition)

The House advanced and declared passed the substitute for House Bill 21 52, a measure that would require hospitals, nursing homes and hospice centers to permit qualified medical cannabis patients with terminal conditions to use medical cannabis in institutional settings under protocols balancing patient needs and facility safety.

Representative Cloba (1st District), who brought the measure to the floor, recounted a constituent story — describing "Ryan," a Coast Guard veteran from Shoreline who, she said, experienced improved symptom control and ability to interact with family when a cannabis tincture was used in a hospital that allowed it. Cloba said the bill aims to create uniform rules across hospitals that balance safe storage, administration protocols and patient dignity at the end of life.

Representative Schmick (9th District) described the bill as narrow and focused on terminally ill patients, noting that hospital concerns had been addressed. He said the self-reporting feature and monitoring inherent in the program allow participants to keep their licenses under monitoring programs. The sponsor and supporters urged a yes vote based on patient-choice and dignity considerations.

The transcript records final passage of the substitute bill; roll-call data on the floor shows the clerk recorded the outcome and declared substitute House Bill 21 52 passed. The transcript contains a clerking line with garbled numeric text for the roll call; the floor record immediately after states the bill was declared passed (final recorded statement: "Having received the constitutional majority, substitute house bill 21 52 is declared passed"). Where the clerk's numeric tally in the transcript is unclear, the article reports passage and notes the transcript did not provide an unambiguous vote count.

What happens next: The bill proceeds along the legislative process toward enrollment/transmittal; the transcript does not supply an enactment date or implementation timeline on the floor.