Bill > HB05242

This bill, effective October 1, 2026, requires certain healthcare facilities, including hospitals, nursing homes, hospice inpatient facilities, and short-term hospital special hospices, to permit terminally ill qualifying patients to use cannabis within their facilities. A "qualifying patient" is defined as someone with a valid registration certificate who has a medical condition certified by their physician as having a prognosis of one year or less to live. The bill prohibits smoking or vaping cannabis, mandates its inclusion in patient medical records, requires patients to provide proof of their registration, and allows facilities to reasonably restrict storage and use, such as requiring locked containers, to ensure safety. Facilities must also develop written guidelines for cannabis use. However, patients receiving emergency care are not permitted to use cannabis during that time. The bill also includes provisions allowing healthcare facilities to suspend compliance if federal regulatory agencies take actions that prohibit cannabis use in such settings, but it clarifies that this suspension cannot be based solely on cannabis being a federally controlled substance. Additionally, the bill amends existing law to remove a previous prohibition on hospitals being required to allow cannabis use, now stating that hospitals must allow it unless federal regulations prevent it.

Health and Social Services

Public Health Committee (Joint)

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=HB05242&which_year=2026