California Lawmakers Revise Psilocybin Pilot Program Bill, Restricting Eligibility

California lawmakers have revised a psilocybin pilot program bill to narrow eligibility criteria for participants and facilitators who could administer the psychedelic under the proposal. The amendments come about a week after Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R) and Sen. Josh Becker (D) unveiled the “Heal Our Heroes Act.”

Amendment Details

The legislation, introduced as an amendment to an unrelated Senate-passed bill, would allow the counties of San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and San Diego to establish pilot programs where military veterans and former first responders could receive psilocybin treatment with a licensed facilitator.

Clarifications

The bill has been amended to make certain clarifications. It now specifies that only former first responders—not active duty military—would be eligible for the program. Additionally, only physicians and surgeons—not other healthcare professionals—could administer the psychedelic under the current proposal.

Sunset Provision and Safety Standards

The bill calls for the pilot program to sunset after three years, with requirements to collect data and submit reports on the impact of the reform after two years. It also mandates certain safety standards, such as screening participants to ensure they can safely benefit from the psychedelic treatment.

Broader Legislation

This amendment comes after a broader bill that would have legalized psychedelic service centers was effectively killed by a Senate committee. The new bill, re-referred to the Assembly Health Committee, was also co-authored by Assemblymember Marie Waldron (R), who is sponsoring a separate psychedelics bill focused on research and regulated therapeutic access.

Advocates’ Response

Advocates remain disappointed that a broader psychedelics measure stalled out during its final Senate committee stop last month. The revised bill provides regulated access to psychedelics in a facilitated setting without removing criminal penalties for possession outside of that context.

While California continues to navigate the complexities of psychedelic reform, local jurisdictions are also pushing forward with decriminalization efforts. Eureka, San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Cruz, and Arcata are among the cities that have embraced policy changes regarding psychedelic plants and fungi.