A Hawaii Senate committee approved a House-passed bill on Wednesday that would create an advisory council to look into possible regulations to provide access to federal “breakthrough therapies” like psilocybin and MDMA.
The psychedelics legislation from Rep. Adrian Tam (D) advanced, with amendments, in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee in a 5-0 vote.
Members took testimony from advocates and experts, including a representative of the Department of Health, which voiced support for the proposal. All 20 people and organizations that submitted written testimony ahead of the panel’s hearing were in favor of the reform.
Part of the reason for the department’s support may have to do with the fact that the legislation has been amended from its original form to say that the state “may” create a psychedelics advisory council, instead of original mandatory language saying the panel “shall” be created.
The health department said that the proposal represents a “prudent investment,” and it committed to “help prepare Hawaii for future treatments and technologies with applications for behavioral health and that have received Breakthrough Therapy Designations” from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The measure, which cleared the House earlier this month, has also
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