Virginia lawmakers have introduced new legislation to tweak the state’s medical program, including a bill that would allow nursing homes to administer medical cannabis, according to a local WTVR report.
Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant is sponsoring S.B. 185 to authorize caregivers at nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospices to administer medical cannabis to patients who have been certified and enrolled in Virginia’s medical cannabis program, the news outlet reported.
Sen. David Marsden has also introduced a bill, S.B. 885, to eliminate criminal liabilities for analytical lab employees who transport and possess medical cannabis for work-related purposes, according to WTVR.
A similar bill introduced by Marsden, S.B. 1015, would eliminate cannabis possession charges for patients enrolled in Virginia’s medical cannabis program, the news outlet reported.
All three bills have advanced out of committee and will be considered on the House floor, according to WTVR.
The Virginia House and Senate have also approved cannabis decriminalization bills this year, and the two chambers are reconciling the minor differences between their two proposals before sending the legislation to Gov. Ralph Northam, who has vowed to sign a decriminalization bill into law this year.
