The Senate Health & Human Services Committee advanced two bills: SB 31, allowing access to medications for treatment-resistant depression (passing over one dissenting vote tied to controlled substance concerns), and SB 7, a heavily amended bill permitting terminally ill hospital patients to access medical marijuana for comfort care (passing unanimously and placed on the consent calendar).
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Senator Aye Mullica acknowledged that the original version of SB 7 contained mandates 'that some of our hospitals struggled with,' leading to Amendment L3 making the bill permissive instead of mandatory. Dr. Marvin Lee, testifying for the Colorado Hospital Association, warned that without the amendments' protections, hospitals face real risk to federal funding, regulatory compliance, and accreditation standards. No named legislator opposed the shift to a permissive framework; all amendments passed without stated opposition.
“I do struggle a little bit just with the controlled substance aspect and not to discount the research. I just cannot be supportive of it today. And so I'll be a no, but very respectful no and very appreciative no for the work that you all have done and your stakeholders have done.”
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Sign in to subscribeSenate Health and Human Services, come to order. Mr. Brown, please call the roll. Senators Bright. Here. Carson. Excused. Cutter. Here. President Frizzell. Excused. Heinrichsen. Judah Excused. Weissman. Good afternoon. Michaelson, Janae. Present. Mr. Chair. Malika. Here. Members, we do have a bill up for action only. Senate Bill 31. I just want to make a brief comment, though, before we get going. And this will be Senator Michaels and Jana's last meeting in Health and Human Services. She is going to be sorely missed. We've been very, very lucky to have her. I know I'm probably biased, but I think she's the most amazing vice chair in the world and I'm super, super happy for her. I think we all are very happy for you, Senator Michaelson. Genna. And you are going to be sorely, sorely missed on this committee and in this building. And so we all love you and are super happy for you, but are going to miss you, too. And you get to go out with a bill which is kind of neat. And we do have Senator Carson here with us as well. Start us off. Who wants Senator Michelson to name. We're in…
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