As 2026 brings a new wave of marijuana reform bills to state legislatures across the U.S., a theme has emerged in one specific policy area: Lawmakers are pushing to allow seriously ill patients to access medical cannabis in hospital settings, with at least 13 states exploring the reform this year.
Variations of what’s become known as “Ryan’s Law”—named after a young California medical cannabis patient who passed and whose father has since become an advocate for marijuana access in hospitals—have been introduced in legislatures everywhere from New York to Hawaii this session.
Led by the Ryan’s Law Foundation and backed by top reform groups including NORML, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) and the Cannabis Nurses Network, activists hope to see the law widely enacted to ensure that patients, particularly those with terminal illnesses, are able to legally utilize cannabis.
California and Minnesota have already moved forward with the policy change.
“So often in cannabis policy reform, advocates present logical, evidence-based recommendations that take years for legislators to fully embrace,” Kevin Caldwell, Southeast legislative manager for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), told Marijuana Moment.
“For cannabis advocates who have lobbied for increased access to cannabis products in medical facilities, the push for ‘Ryan’s Law,’ which grants medical facility access to cannabis for terminally ill patients, is a perfect example of this delay,” he said. “The fact that people have to suffer or live in a pharmaceutical haze, rather than have access to a medicine that many know will improve their quality of life, is heartbreaking.”
“However, by amplifying the story of Ryan’s family, led by his father’s own advocacy, we ensure their tragedy serves a greater purpose: ensuring no other family endures the same fate,” Caldwell said.
Here are the states where “Ryan’s Law” bills have been introduced so far this session:
Arizona
The bill from Arizona Rep. Selina Bliss (D) would amend current state law by adding hospitals to the list of medical facilities where qualifying patients could utilize medical cannabis. It states that hospitals “shall allow a registered qualifying patient who has a terminal illness to use medical marijuana in the area designated by the facility.” The bill has been referred to the House Health and Human Services Committee.
Colorado
Colorado Sen. Kyle Mullica (D) and Rep. Sheila Lieder (D) filed legislation this session mandating that “a health facility allow patients who are terminally ill and who are registered in the state’s medical marijuana program to use medical marijuana within the health facility, subject to certain parameters.” The legislation has been referred to the Senate Health & Human Services Committee for consideration.
Delaware
In Delaware, Sen. Marie Pinkney (D) introduced a version of a “Ryan’s Law” bill, which has been referred to the Senate Health & Social Services Committee. The legislation “provides that health care facilities must permit patients who have been issued and possess a valid registry identification card for the medical use of marijuana and have a terminal illness to use medical marijuana on the health care facilities’ premises, subject to certain restrictions.”
Hawaii
Hawaii Rep. Gregg Takayama (D) and Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D) have filed companion bills for the session that would allow qualifying patients who are 65 or older to access medical marijuana in hospital settings, subject to regulations by the state Department of Health. The House version has three committee referrals; the Senate measure has been referred to two panels.
Mississippi
In Mississippi, Rep. Kevin Felsher (R) is sponsoring HB 1034 to “support the ability of terminally ill qualifying patients to safely use medical cannabis within specified health care facilities,” requiring hospitals, nursing facilities and hospice centers to “allow terminally ill qualifying patients in the facility to use medical cannabis.” The legislation has been approved by the House Public Health and Human Services Committee.
New Mexico
New Mexico Pamelya Herndon (D) filed a bill to allow qualified patients to use medical cannabis by means other than smoking or vaping in hospitals, outpatient facilities, diagnostic and treatment centers, rehabilitation centers and freestanding hospices. Unlike the similar proposals in most other states, this one has no requirement that patients be terminally ill.
New York
New York Assemblymember Amy Paulin (D) is championing a “Ryan’s Law” bill to authorize “certain patients who are terminally ill to use medical cannabis at hospitals and nursing homes.” The proposal is before the Assembly Health Committee.
Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, Senate Assistant Minority Floor Leader Carri Hicks (D) is sponsoring SB 1508 to let qualified medical marijuana patients facing terminal illnesses to access cannabis products that can’t be smoked or vaporized at hospitals. It has been referred to the Health and Human Services Committee.
Oregon
Rep. Thủy Trần (D) and cosponsors introduced legislation requiring certain healthcare organizations and residential facilities to allow patients to use medical cannabis on the premises. It has been referred to the House Health Care Committee.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Sen. John Kane (D) is sponsoring a bill to allow qualifying patients to access medical marijuana in hospital settings. “Ryan’s law would allow terminally ill patients to use non-smoking forms of medical marijuana in Pennsylvania hospitals,” the author said in a cosponsorship memo. “Right now, the use of medical marijuana in hospitals is a gray area due to marijuana being a Scheduled I Narcotic, while also being legal for medicinal purposes in Pennsylvania.” Rep. Dan Frankel (D) is currently seeking cosponsors for a version of the legislation he plans to file in the House.
South Dakota
South Dakota Rep. Eric Emery (D) introduced a bill for the 2026 session to allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis in hospitals and hospices. The House Health and Human Services Committee voted this month to defer the legislation, but it’s possible it could be revived.
Virginia
There are two House bills and one Senate proposal to replicate Ryan’s Law in Virginia this session. HB 75 from Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra (D), HB 486 from Del. Irene Shin (D) and SB 332 from Sen. Barbara Favola (D) would each allow terminally ill patients to access medical marijuana in hospitals.
Washington State
Washington State Rep. Shelley Kloba (D) and Senate Majority Floor Leader Marcus Riccelli (D) are sponsoring companion versions of their “Ryan’s Law” bills this session. The proposals reflect the legislature’s position that “the medical use of cannabis may support improved quality of life for a qualifying patient,” the text says, and the proposed reform would “promote dignity and comfort for terminally ill patients while maintaining the integrity and safety of health care environments” by allowing them to access medical marijuana in hospitals.
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It remains to be seen whether any of the states with pending proposals will move to enact them into law this session, similar to policies that are on the booka in California and Minnesota.
The stepped-up push for reform is aided by a robust group of advocates—as well as a team of student interns that the Ryan’s Law Foundation is coordinating at San Diego State University (SDSU) who are proactively reaching out to lawmakers on committees of jurisdiction in legislatures across the country.
That group is led by Jim Bartell, whose son Ryan died from cancer and was initially denied access to cannabis at a California hospital. The Bartells did eventually find a facility that agreed to allow the treatment, and Jim said Ryan’s quality of life improved dramatically in his final days as a result.
Jim told Marijuana Moment this month that President Donald Trump’s recent executive order directing officials to quickly complete the process of federal rescheduling cannabis is “helping a lot” with the push to get lawmakers on board with enacting the hospital-focused medical marijuana access reform.
He said legislators used to ask, “What about Schedule I?” when approached about the issue.
“Well, that’s gone now,” Bartell said, even as rescheduling has not yet been formally completed.
MPP’s Caldwell said that in light of the pending finalization of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, “now is the perfect time for healthcare systems to adopt a more humane, patient-centered approach to end-of-life care.”
“Many patients could potentially benefit from a cannabis regimen over prescription medications that truly do not allow them to be present for themselves and their loved ones,” he said.
