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Committee advances permissive version of ‘‘Ryan’s Law’’ to let terminally ill registered patients use non‑smokeable marijuana in facilities
Summary
After testimony from hospice nurses, patient advocates and the father of the law’s namesake, SB 26‑007 (Ryan’s Law) — in a permissive form that lets facilities opt in — passed committee 10–2. Debate centered on whether participation should be mandatory, federal funding risks, and implementation logistics.
Family advocates and hospice nurses urged passage of SB 26‑007, which would allow registered medical‑marijuana patients with terminal diagnoses to possess and use non‑smokeable marijuana products (edibles, tinctures, topicals) inside participating health facilities, subject to written facility policies for storage, documentation and safety.
Jim Bartel, father of Ryan (whose case inspired the model), described how his son spent weeks sedated on high‑dose opioids in a hospital that barred cannabis until the family found a different facility that permitted it; after transfer the patient woke, engaged with family and spent meaningful time awake in his final weeks. Witnesses from California, Oregon and Washington pointed to similar statutes and to CMS guidance indicating federal funding penalties are not automatic.
Some witnesses — and several committee members — said the original Ryan’s Law mandate (requiring facilities to adopt a policy) was preferable for patients but sponsors adopted a permissive approach after negotiations with hospital groups concerned about liability and federal rules. Committee adopted the permissive amendment and advanced the amended bill to the Committee of the Whole 10–2.
What’s next: The permissive version goes to the Committee of the Whole; sponsors said they would continue talking with hospitals and agencies about implementation and safe‑harbor language.
