SB 751 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Veterans and Former First Responders Research Pilot Program.

Summary

Existing law makes it a crime to possess, cultivate, and administer specified controlled substances, including psilocybin and psilocyn. Existing law makes it a crime for a person to rent, lease, or make available for use any building or room for the purpose of storing or distributing any controlled substance. This bill would, until January 1, 2031, request the University of California to establish local pilots in up to 5 counties to allow for the research and development of psilocybin services for veterans and former first responders as part of the Veterans and Former First Responders Research Pilot Program ("Pilot Program") . The bill would require these university partners, overseeing each Pilot Program to be responsible for protocol design, institutional review board approvals, training of psilocybin facilitators, data collection, and reporting. The bill would require each local pilot to partner with licensed health care and licensed community-based providers that provide services and care to the target population. The bill would require psilocybin to be provided by or under the supervision of a practitioner who has experience in providing or overseeing psilocybin or other psychedelic therapy services. The bill would require that each person being considered for the Pilot Program meet specified criteria, including that they are 21 years of age or older and have been given specified assessments. This bill would request the University of California to report specified information about the Pilot Program to the Legislature, the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, and the Governor by January 15, 2030. The bill would establish the Veterans and Former First Responders Research Pilot Special Fund and would continuously appropriate the fund to the University of California for the purposes of these provisions. The bill would request the University of California to apply for and accept grants, donations, and federal funding for the purposes of the Pilot Program, and would require those moneys to be deposited in the fund.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

04/28/25 - Amended Senate → SB751 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The amended version shifts primary program responsibility from the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHSA) to the University of California, changing mandatory 'shall' language to permissive 'is requested to' language throughout. The target population definition is simplified by removing specific condition requirements, and reporting structures are reorganized so that data flows to UC rather than CHHSA. These changes reflect a move toward making UC the lead operator of the psilocybin pilot program for veterans and former first responders, with CHHSA taking a reduced oversight role.

SCOPE

Primary responsibility for establishing and overseeing the pilot program shifted from CHHSA (which 'shall establish and oversee') to the University of California (which is 'requested to establish local pilots in up to five counties'). Multiple sections changed from mandatory agency directives to requests directed at UC.

REQUIREMENT

Throughout the bill, language was changed from mandatory ('the agency shall') to permissive ('University of California is requested to'), affecting program agreements, data-sharing research, report compilation, and grant applications. This reduces the legal compulsion on UC, which as a state institution has different constraints than a state agency.

Section 11312(b) changed from requiring local pilots to partner with specifically listed provider types (mental health clinics, hospice programs, veterans facilities) to using the defined term 'Pilot Program providers,' which is a broader category including VA clinics and other therapeutic care organizations.

DEFINITION

The 'target population' definition was simplified from 'veterans and inactive former first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder, end-of-life distress, or other specified conditions, as determined by program criteria and local needs' to simply 'veterans and inactive former first responders,' removing the specific condition requirements from the statutory definition.

FISCAL

The Veterans and Former First Responders Research Pilot Special Fund is now continuously appropriated to the University of California instead of CHHSA. UC is also 'requested to' (rather than CHHSA being authorized to) apply for and accept grants, donations, and federal funding.

ENFORCEMENT

Midyear and annual reports are now directed to the office of the President of the University of California rather than to CHHSA. The peer-reviewed efficacy study (due January 15, 2029) is submitted to the Legislature and the Secretary of CHHSA instead of the Legislature and the Governor's office.

02/21/25 - Introduced → 04/28/25 - Amended Senate · 10 edits · Apr 28, 2025

MAJOR

The amended version shifts primary operational authority from the California Health and Human Services Agency to the University of California, changes the program name to 'Veterans and Former First Responders' to clarify eligibility is limited to former (not active) first responders, adds detailed participant eligibility and informed consent requirements, narrows the pool of authorized providers, and introduces a new 'qualifying condition' threshold requiring a severe mental health disorder.

Scope change

The program's scope narrowed in two ways: (1) it now covers only former first responders rather than all first responders, and (2) the pool of authorized providers was restricted to specific licensed entity types. The operational scope shifted significantly from agency-led to UC-led, with the agency taking a secondary role.

SCOPE

The program name changed from 'Veterans and First Responders Research Pilot Program' to 'Veterans and Former First Responders Research Pilot Program,' limiting eligibility to former first responders rather than active ones.

A new Section 11310 was added stating the article applies to the University of California only to the extent the Regents make it applicable by resolution, protecting UC's constitutional autonomy.

REQUIREMENT

Multiple provisions shifted from requiring the California Health and Human Services Agency to directly establish, oversee, enter agreements, and compile reports to instead requesting the University of California to perform those functions. The agency's role is reduced to a facilitator.

A new informed consent requirement mandates that participants be told about possible side effects and aftereffects, other available treatments, the option to speak with a peer or counselor before and after, and the right to withdraw at any time with access to aftercare.

Psilocybin must now be provided by or under the supervision of a practitioner with experience in providing or overseeing psilocybin or other psychedelic therapy services.

ELIGIBILITY

New eligibility criteria require participants to be at least 21 years old, have a documented qualifying condition (defined as a severe mental health disorder), and receive an initial assessment by a practitioner to determine appropriateness for participation.

DEFINITION

A new definition of 'Pilot Program providers' limits authorized service providers to licensed mental health clinics, VA clinics, hospice care agencies, and other therapeutic care organizations, narrowing the original broader 'community-based providers' category.

FISCAL

The Special Fund appropriation was changed from being directed to the agency to being directed to the University of California for allocation to each local pilot. A new fund use category was added for peer or counseling services requested by participants before, during, or after participation.

ENFORCEMENT

Reporting requirements were expanded: reports and the peer-reviewed study must now also be submitted to the Secretary of California Health and Human Services in addition to the Legislature and Governor's office.

TECHNICAL

Data collection was expanded to include how each person learned about or was referred to the Pilot Program, plus longitudinal data after treatments concluded. The peer-reviewed study deadline language was restructured but remains January 15, 2029.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 962.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Apr 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on ED.

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 869.) (April 23).

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Committee

Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and ED.

upper

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 9 co-sponsors