A bipartisan proposal prefiled today for Washington’s 2026 legislative session would require hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care centers to allow qualifying terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana while receiving care.
The bill, House Bill 2152, was prefiled for introduction in the 2026 session, which begins in January. It is sponsored by State Representatives Shelley Kloba (D) and Skyler Rude (R), signaling bipartisan support for expanding patient access to medical marijuana in health care settings.
Under the proposal, beginning January 1, 2027, licensed hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care centers would be required to establish policies allowing the medical use of marijuana by qualifying patients with terminal conditions. The legislation is intended to promote comfort and dignity for patients near the end of life while maintaining safety and order within medical facilities.
The bill outlines several conditions facilities must include in their policies. Smoking or vaping marijuana would be prohibited, even if those methods are the patient’s usual form of use. Medical marijuana use would need to be documented in the patient’s medical records, and patients would be required to provide valid medical authorization. Responsibility for acquiring, administering and removing marijuana would rest with the patient or a designated provider, not with facility staff.
The proposal also bars health care workers, including physicians and nurses, from administering marijuana and prohibits sharing marijuana among patients or visitors. Any remaining product would have to be removed upon discharge or disposed of according to medical waste procedures if removal is not possible.
Facilities would not risk losing licensure for failing to comply, and the bill includes provisions allowing temporary suspension if federal authorities take enforcement action. The legislation would not apply to emergency departments or patients receiving emergency care.
If approved, the bill would mark a significant change in how medical marijuana is treated within Washington health care facilities, particularly for patients facing terminal illnesses.
