Senate Bill 5201 and its companion, House Bill 1433, legislation that would establish a regulated psilocybin therapy program in Washington State, are both scheduled for public hearings on consecutive days.
The House Committee on Health Care & Wellness will hold a public hearing on House Bill 1433 on February 5 at 1:30 PM, followed by a hearing on Senate Bill 5201 in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 8:00 AM on February 6.
Introduced by Senator Jesse Salomon with support from eight cosponsors in the Senate, and filed by State Rep. Nicole Macri (D) with 29 sponsors in the House, the bills would create a structured framework allowing licensed facilitators to administer psilocybin in supervised settings. The Washington State Department of Health would oversee the program, with input from a newly formed Psychedelic Substances Board responsible for developing licensing requirements and safety protocols.
The proposed model is similar to Oregon’s existing psilocybin therapy system, aiming to provide treatment options for individuals suffering from conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. The bills mandate a two-year development period starting September 1, 2025, with licenses expected to be issued by late 2027. Strict regulations would govern the production, testing, and distribution of psilocybin, ensuring that only licensed facilities and professionals handle the substance. Sessions would require the presence of a trained facilitator, and cultural competence in service delivery is emphasized to ensure accessibility and safety. The legislation explicitly does not legalize psilocybin for recreational use, limiting its scope strictly to therapeutic applications.
House Bill 1433 mirrors the language of Senate Bill 5201. The scheduling of back-to-back hearings underscores the growing legislative interest in advancing psilocybin therapy as a mental health treatment option in Washington.
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