SB 305 (Hueso, D-San Diego) was heard today in the Senate Health Committee. Named the “Compassionate Access to Medical Cannabis Act” or “Ryan’s Law,” the bill would require health facilities to allow the use of medical cannabis within the facility to terminally ill patients with a prognosis of one year or less to live. The bill includes Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs) in the definition of “health facility.”
LeadingAge California has been working with the author’s office on amendments to the bill that would make the bill permissive, and allow facilities to determine whether the use of cannabis is appropriate for their setting. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug at the federal level, which is not approved for medical use and has a high potential for abuse. This designation may put at risk federal funding received by hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and other health facilities.
The bill was approved unanimously by the Senate Health Committee with the provision that the author continues to work to find resolution to our concerns. The bill will next go the full Senate for a vote. Find more information on SB 305 here.
