Two bipartisan New Hampshire bills that would establish regulated frameworks for the therapeutic use of psilocybin are scheduled for public hearings on January 14 in the House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee.
The committee will hear testimony on both measures on January 14. House Bill 1796 is set for a 2 p.m. hearing, followed by House Bill 1809 at 3 p.m.
While the two bills take different structural approaches, each would move New Hampshire toward allowing psilocybin to be used in controlled, clinical settings for medical purposes. Both proposals focus on supervised administration, state oversight, and limiting participation to approved providers and patients with qualifying conditions, rather than broad decriminalization or retail access.
House Bill 1796 would establish a state-run therapeutic psilocybin program built around tightly regulated, clinical use rather than broad legalization. The proposal lays out a framework for licensing providers and production facilities, setting rules for how psilocybin could be tested and administered, and protecting patients and licensed participants from criminal or civil penalties as long as they are operating within the program. Participation would be limited to patients with specific qualifying conditions, including treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, and end-of-life distress, with room for additional conditions to be added later by regulators. Psilocybin use under the bill would take place only in approved settings, with no allowance for personal possession or retail sales.
House Bill 1809 takes a different, department-centered approach by authorizing the medical use of psilocybin through a program housed within the Department of Health and Human Services. Under the bill, approved medical providers would be allowed to produce and administer psilocybin to qualified patients diagnosed with conditions such as major depressive disorder, PTSD, substance use disorders, and other conditions identified through rulemaking and advisory board recommendations. The proposal establishes a medical psilocybin advisory board to guide oversight and conditions the program’s launch on a formal certification that it is ready to operate. If that certification is not issued within a specified timeframe, the medical psilocybin provisions would not take effect, adding an additional layer of review before implementation.
House Bill 1796 was filed by State Representative Michael Moffet (R) along with eight cosponsors. House Bill 1809 was filed by State Representative Buzz Scherr (D) along with five cosponsors. Both proposals have bipartisan backing.
The January 14 hearings will give lawmakers, medical professionals, advocates, and members of the public an opportunity to weigh in before the committee decides whether to advance either bill.
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