HB869--NATURALMEDICINE
SPONSOR: Lovasco
Thisbillprovidesthat"naturalmedicine",definedaspsilocybin
orpsilocyn,ifderivedfromaplantorfungus,maybegiventoor
acquiredbycaregiversandeligiblepatients. "Eligiblepatient"
isdefinedasaperson21yearsofageorolderwhohasbeen
diagnosedwithtreatment-resistantposttraumaticstressdisorderor
depression,aterminalillness,oranotherseriousconditionthat
hasnotrespondedpositivelyorsignificantlytotreatmentandis
approvedbytheDepartmentofHealthandSeniorServices.
Theuseoradministration ofnaturalmedicinemayonlyoccurata
facilityorofficethatprovideshealth-relatedservice,afacility
providinghospicecare,aresidentialcarefacility,oralocation
approvedbytheDepartment.
Aphysicianshallnotbesubjecttocriminalorcivilliabilityor
sanctionunderlawforrecommendingnaturalmedicinetoaneligible
patient,andnostateagencyorregulatoryboardshallrevoke,fail
torenew,ortakeanyotheractionagainstaphysician'slicense
basedsolelyonthephysician'srecommendation toaneligible
patientregardingtreatmentwithnaturalmedicine. Exceptinthe
caseofgrossnegligenceorwillfulmisconduct,anypersonwho
manufactures,imports,distributes,prescribes,dispenses,or
administersnaturalmedicinetoaneligiblepatientformedicaluse
inaccordancewiththissectionshallnotbeliableinanyaction
understatelawforanyloss,damage,orinjury.
AnypersonmaypetitiontheDepartmenttoaddaseriousmedical
conditiontothelistmentionedinthisbill.TheDepartmentmust
considerapetitionfiledinthemannerconsistentwithDepartment
rules.ThesameappliesforpetitionsfortheDepartmenttoadd
eligiblelocationstothelistdescribedinthebill.
NohealthcareinsurerortheDepartmentofCorrectionsshallbe
requiredtoprovidecoverageforthecostsofnaturalmedicine.
TheDepartmentshallestablishanadvisorycommitteetoform
guidancerelatedtotheaccesstonaturalmedicine. Required
guidelinestobeissuedbytheadvisorycommitteearespecifiedin
thebill.
Thisbillremovestheunlawfulpossessionofnaturalmedicineasa
felonyoffenseandprovidesthattheunlawfulpossessionofmore
thanfourgramsofnaturalmedicinebyweightisaclassA
misdemeanorandfourgramsorlessisaclassDmisdemeanor. Ifanaturalmedicine isexcludedfromScheduleIoftheFederal
ControlledSubstancesActandplacedonascheduleoftheActother
thanScheduleI,aneligiblepatientunderthisbillshallinclude
anypersonwhoisatleast21yearsold,andhasdocumentationfrom
hisorherphysiciansthattheyhavenotbeendiagnosedwithany
specifichealthconcernthatwouldcreateaharmfulsituationwith
theuseofnaturalmedicine.
ThisbillissimilartoHCSHB2850(2022).