HARRISBURG — After an emotionally charged debate, Pennsylvania state senators overwhelmingly passed legislation Wednesday to legalize several forms of medical marijuana, although the legislative session is growing short, House Republican leaders are skeptical of the bill and Gov. Tom Corbett opposes it.

Although supporters of the bill viewed the vote as historic, Pennsylvania is behind other states: More than 30 others already have legalized some form of medical marijuana, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

After 50 minutes of debate, every Democrat voted “yes,” as did 20 of 27 Republicans.

Under the proposal, state residents would need an access card from the Health Department after proving they have a practitioner-patient relationship and written confirmation of a qualifying medical condition. A handful of drug delivery methods that do not involve smoking it would be permitted under the bill.

The chamber’s debate had been propelled by parents who believe a marijuana oil extract can help their children who suffer from seizures so debilitating that they worry about whether their child will survive another day.

“It is cruel and heartless to deny people the best medicine that is available,” Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery, said. “And it’s time to stop treating this irrationally and saying, ‘we’re not going to let you have this, we’re going to instead make you take far more dangerous and less effective drugs.’ That’s just not how we would want to be treated; it’s not how we want our families to be treated.”