|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the establishment of the Psilocybin Research Advisory |
|
Council. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is |
|
amended by adding Chapter 106 to read as follows: |
|
CHAPTER 106. PSILOCYBIN RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCIL |
|
106.001. DEFINITION. In this subchapter "advisory council" |
|
means the Psilocybin Research Advisory Council established under |
|
this chapter. |
|
106.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COUNCIL. The commission |
|
shall establish the Psilocybin Research Advisory Council to advise |
|
the commission and the legislature on psilocybin research and |
|
treatment. |
|
106.003. APPOINTMENT OF ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS. (a) The |
|
advisory council is composed of the members appointed by the |
|
executive commissioner as provided by this section. |
|
(b) The advisory council must include at least: |
|
(1) one member who is a physician with a federal |
|
license to study psychedelics; |
|
(2) one member who is a military veteran; |
|
(3) one member who is a law enforcement officer in this |
|
state; |
|
(4) one member who is a professor or researcher from a |
|
university who specializes in clinical research or psychedelic |
|
studies; and |
|
(5) ex officio representatives of the commission or |
|
another state agency as the executive commissioner determines |
|
appropriate. |
|
(c) Advisory council members serve at the pleasure of the |
|
executive commissioner. |
|
Sec. 106.004. TERMS; VACANCY. (a) An advisory council |
|
member serves a four-year term. |
|
(b) If a vacancy occurs on the advisory council, a person |
|
shall be appointed to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. |
|
Sec. 118.005. OFFICERS. Advisory council members shall: |
|
(1) elect a chair and a vice chair; and |
|
(2) establish the duties of the chair and the vice |
|
chair. |
|
Sec. 106.006. MEETINGS. The executive commissioner shall |
|
set a time and place for regular meetings, which must occur at least |
|
twice each year. |
|
Sec. 106.007. DUTIES. The advisory council shall: |
|
(1) establish criteria for the clinical trials that |
|
qualify to receive research grants; |
|
(2) oversee the application process and review |
|
applications for the clinical trial research grants to assist the |
|
commission in selecting the most credible clinical trials to award |
|
the research grants; |
|
(3) on or before July 1 of each year, make |
|
recommendations to the legislature on psychedelic-assisted |
|
therapy. |
|
106.008. RESEARCH GRANTS. (a) The commission shall provide |
|
from monies appropriated competitive research grants for whole |
|
mushroom psilocybin phase one, phase two, and phase three clinical |
|
trials that are capable of being approved by the United States Food |
|
and Drug Administration to evaluate the effects of whole mushroom |
|
psilocybin on treating any of the following: |
|
(1) post-traumatic stress disorder; |
|
(2) symptoms associated with long Covid-19; |
|
(3) depression; |
|
(4) anxiety disorders; |
|
(5) symptoms associated with end-of-life distress; |
|
(6) obsessive compulsive disorder; |
|
(7) substance abuse and addiction disorders; |
|
(8) eating disorders; |
|
(9) chronic pain; |
|
(10) inflammatory disorders; |
|
(11) autoimmune disorders; |
|
(12) seizure disorders; or |
|
(13) other degenerative disorders. |
|
(b) The commission shall announce the opening of the |
|
application process at least thirty days before applications are |
|
available and allow at least ninety days for applicants to complete |
|
their submission. |
|
(c) The research grants shall be awarded not later than July |
|
1 of each year for three years. If in any year there is not a |
|
proposal that meets the criteria for a research grant to be awarded |
|
for a whole mushroom psilocybin clinical trial, the commission |
|
shall postpone the award to the following year. |
|
(d) Clinical trials that are funded pursuant this section |
|
shall prioritize: |
|
(1) using whole mushroom psilocybin cultivated under a |
|
schedule I license issued by the United States Drug Enforcement |
|
Administration; and |
|
(2) using veterans, first responders, frontline |
|
health care workers and persons from underserved communities as the |
|
research subjects. |
|
(e) A person who receives a grant for a whole mushroom |
|
psilocybin clinical trial pursuant to this section and any of the |
|
person's employees working on the clinical trial may not be charged |
|
with or prosecuted for possession of psilocybin when the person is |
|
working on the clinical trial. |
|
Sec. 106.009. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A member of |
|
the advisory council is not entitled to compensation or |
|
reimbursement for expenses incurred in performing advisory council |
|
duties. |
|
Sec. 106.010. SUNSET PROVISION. The Psilocybin Research |
|
Advisory Council is subject to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas |
|
Sunset Act). Unless continued in existence as provided by that |
|
chapter, the advisory council is abolished and this chapter expires |
|
September 1, 2035. |
|
SECTION 2. Not later than December 31, 2023, the executive |
|
commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
|
appoint the members to the Psilocybin Research Advisory Council as |
|
required by Section 106.003, Health and Safety Code, as added by |
|
this Act. |
|
SECTION 16. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |