The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5242, mandates that certain health care facilities, including hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice facilities, allow terminally ill patients who are registered qualifying patients to use cannabis within their premises, effective October 1, 2026. The bill defines key terms such as "cannabis," "health care facility," "qualifying patient," and "terminally ill," and outlines specific requirements for health care facilities. These include prohibiting smoking or vaping, documenting cannabis use in medical records, requiring proof of registration, and establishing guidelines for safe storage and use of cannabis. However, patients receiving emergency care are not permitted to use cannabis during that time.

Additionally, the bill repeals existing language in Section 21a-422m of the general statutes, which previously stated that hospitals were not required to allow cannabis use, and replaces it with a provision that allows for exceptions as outlined in the new section. The bill also includes a clause that permits health care facilities to suspend compliance with the cannabis use provisions if federal agencies take enforcement actions or issue prohibitions against such use. Overall, the legislation aims to provide terminally ill patients with access to medical marijuana while ensuring safety and compliance with existing regulations.

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Raised Bill: