Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Senate committee advances 'Ryan's Law' to let hospice patients continue medical cannabis use
Summary
HB 4142 A, known as "Ryan's Law," was advanced to the Senate floor after emotional family testimony and expert statements. The bill would expand OMMP coverage for hospice/palliative patients, require designated facilities to allow and manage medical cannabis use, and protect nurses who discuss cannabis with patients; several senators voiced concerns about 'shall' mandates and lack of Oregon hospice or medical-board testimony.
The Senate Health Care Committee on Feb. 25 advanced House Bill 4142 A — branded in testimony as "Ryan's Law" — which would expand the definition of debilitating medical condition for Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) patients to include hospice, palliative and comfort care, and require certain care organizations to allow and manage medical cannabis use on-site.
Ann Marie Beckstrom, chief of staff to Rep. Farrah Chaychi, read the sponsor's testimony that the bill's aim is to ensure OMMP patients are not forced to abandon lawful cannabis therapy when they enter hospice or palliative care. "This bill is meant to address that gap," the sponsor's testimony said, noting that as of January 2025 the OMMP showed very limited use of organizational caregivers and that the bill is intended to establish guardrails, policies and training for staff.
Families and clinicians gave emotional and technical testimony. London…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
