FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2023

Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation

Authorizes Bonds and Creates State Agency for Psychedelic Therapy Research.
Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.

SACRAMENTO, CA – Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber announced that the proponent of a new initiative was cleared to begin collecting petition signatures on September 22, 2023.

The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is required to appear on initiative petitions. When the official language is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponent and to the Secretary of State, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Secretary of State then provides a calendar of deadlines to the proponent and to county elections officials. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows:

AUTHORIZES BONDS AND CREATES STATE AGENCY FOR PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY RESEARCH. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND STATUTE. Creates state agency to regulate “psychedelic medicines” (defined as substances that “produce altered states of consciousness,” including psilocybin, LSD, mescaline, MDMA, ketamine, cannabis). Requires agency provide funding for research, development, and delivery of psychedelic medicines and therapies for treatment of mental health conditions and health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Establishes constitutional “right to conduct research” using psychedelic medicines. Authorizes $5 billion in state general obligation bonds for agency funding, with $500 million annual limit. Appropriates money from General Fund to repay bonds. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Average state costs of about $220 million each year for 30 years, with costs totaling $6.6 billion over the period. (23-0013A1)

The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1955 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 23-0013A1.

The proponent of the measure, Jeannie Fontana, must collect signatures of 874,641 registered voters (eight percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2022 general election) in order for the measure to become eligible for the ballot. The proponent has 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials no later than March 20, 2024. The address for the proponent is c/o James C. Harrison and Andrew H. Werbrock, at Olson Remcho, LLP, 1901 Harrison Street, Suite 1550, Oakland, CA 94612. The proponent may also be contacted at (510) 346-6203 and awerbrock@olsonremcho.com.

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