SB 332: Medical marijuana; administration to terminally ill patients. - Virginia

Health and Human Services Substitute → Chaptered · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was converted from a House Substitute amendment into a Chaptered Act, meaning it has been fully approved by the General Assembly and signed into law. The substantive text of the regulations regarding hospital and nursing home standards remains identical to the original proposal, covering topics such as organ donation, security protocols, visitation rights, and medical cannabis administration.

Scope change

The bill's scope of applicability has not changed; it applies to the same hospitals, nursing homes, and certified nursing facilities as the original draft. The change is strictly procedural, moving the document from a proposed amendment to an enacted statute.

TECHNICAL

The document format changed from a 'House Substitute' draft to a 'Chaptered' Act, indicating the legislation has been finalized and approved by the Governor.

Draft-specific headers, committee attribution, and amendment dates were removed as they are no longer relevant to the final law.

Official statutory formatting, including the chapter number (Chapter 556), approval date (April 13, 2026), and standard legislative preamble, was added.

Education and Health Substitute → Health and Human Services Substitute · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was reorganized from the 'Education and Health' committee to the 'Health and Human Services' committee, reflecting a shift in legislative oversight. The core policy content regarding medical cannabis, hospital regulations, and patient care protocols remains substantively unchanged, though the document formatting was updated to reflect the new committee sponsorship.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; the only modification is the legislative committee responsible for proposing the substitute.

TECHNICAL

The bill header was updated to change the proposing committee from 'Education and Health' to 'Health and Human Services' and adjusted the date format to reflect the new version.

The document formatting was altered from a standard diff view to a formal bill layout with line numbers and draft headers, but no substantive policy text was added or removed.

Enrolled → Education and Health Substitute · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was converted from an 'Enrolled' final version into a 'Substitute' draft version, which typically indicates a revision or re-introduction of the legislation. The substantive text regarding medical cannabis and hospital regulations appears identical in both versions, though the Substitute version includes a new requirement for a work group to study cannabis administration in medical facilities.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on amending Code of Virginia sections 18.2-251.1:2 and 32.1-127 to regulate medical cannabis in healthcare facilities and update hospital standards.

TIMELINE

The document status changed from 'Enrolled' (final approved) to 'Offered for Consideration' as a Substitute bill, indicating the legislation is being re-submitted or revised for further review.

REQUIREMENT

A new provision was added requiring the Department of Health to convene a work group to discuss implementing cannabis products in medical care facilities and report guidelines by November 1, 2026.

TECHNICAL

Formatting changes occurred, including the removal of the 'Virginia Acts of Assembly' header and the addition of page numbers and draft headers typical of a substitute bill.

Introduced → Enrolled · 4 edits · Mar 2, 2026

MODERATE

The bill evolved from a proposal to create a temporary work group for developing medical marijuana policies for terminally ill patients into a finalized law that immediately amends existing statutes. The final version removes the requirement to wait for federal rulemaking or form a committee, instead directly granting immunity to hospital staff who administer cannabis oil to certified terminally ill patients. It also updates regulations for hospitals regarding organ donation and substance abuse protocols.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from a procedural directive to establish a policy-making committee to a substantive legal change that provides immediate criminal immunity to healthcare workers and updates hospital operational standards.

TIMELINE

Removed the requirement to convene a work group and the deadline of January 1, 2027, for developing policies.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the condition that regulations could only be issued if federal marijuana rescheduling was delayed.

Changed the text from a proposed bill introduction to an enrolled act that amends specific sections of the Code of Virginia.

ENFORCEMENT

Added immediate legal protection for hospital staff, preventing prosecution for possessing or distributing cannabis oil to patients with valid certifications.

Medical marijuana; administration to terminally ill patients.

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