Vermont S 106: An act relating to employer communications regarding religious or political matters

Bill Text

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S.106 1
Introduced by Senators Gulick, Vyhovsky and White 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Regulated drugs; Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to extend the 6
tenure of the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group, add new 7
members, and expand the scope of the Group’s charge. 8
An act relating to continuing the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working 9
Group 10
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11
Sec. 1. PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY ADVISORY WORKING GROUP; 12
STUDY 13
(a) Findings. 14
(1) In 2024, the General assembly enacted Act and Resolves No. 126, 15
“An act relating to the establishment of the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory 16
Working Group,” for the purpose of reviewing existing research on the cost-17
benefit profile of the use of psychedelics to improve mental health and to make 18
findings and recommendations regarding the advisability of the establishment 19

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of a State program to permit health care providers to administer psychedelics 1
in a therapeutic setting and the impact on public health of allowing individuals 2
to legally access psychedelics under State law. 3
(2) On November 12, 2024, the Working Group issued its report 4
recommending the “[extension] of the current [W]orking [G]roup with the 5
expansion of participants to monitor the evolution of research and programs 6
across the country and to facilitate the ability to research psychedelic therapies 7
in Vermont.” The Working Group also found that “[a]lthough not the only 8
promising area of application supported by existing science, the [G]roup 9
demonstrated general consensus regarding the potential for psilocybin-assisted 10
therapy for depression and anxiety in the context of serious illness & end-of-11
life care.” 12
(b) Creation. There is created the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working 13
Group for the purpose of reviewing existing research on the cost-benefit profile 14
of the use of psychedelics to improve mental health and to make findings and 15
recommendations regarding the advisability of the establishment of a State 16
program to permit health care providers to administer psychedelics in a 17
therapeutic setting and the impact on public health of allowing individuals to 18
legally access psychedelics under State law. 19
(c) Membership. The Working Group shall be composed of the following 20
members: 21

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(1) the Dean of the Larner College of Medicine at the University of 1
Vermont or designee; 2
(2) the President of the Vermont Psychological Association or designee; 3
(3) the Executive Director of the Vermont Board of Medical Practice or 4
designee; 5
(4) the Director of the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation or 6
designee; 7
(5) the Executive Director of the Vermont Medical Society or designee; 8
(6) the Vermont Commissioner of Health or designee; 9
(7) the Vermont Commissioner of Mental Health or designee; 10
(8) an expert in psychedelic treatment of mental conditions who is 11
affiliated with a Vermont hospital currently providing ketamine therapy 12
appointed by the Vermont Commissioner of Mental Health; 13
(9) a mental health professional with specialized training in psychedelic 14
medicine or research appointed by the Commissioner of Health; 15
(10) an attorney with experience in health care appointed by the 16
Commissioner of Health; and 17
(11) a member of the public appointed by the Commissioner of Health. 18
(d) Powers and duties. 19
(1) The Working Group shall: 20

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(A) continue to review the latest research and evidence of the public 1
health benefits and risks of clinical psychedelic assisted treatments; 2
(B) continue to monitor the laws and programs of other states that 3
have authorized the use of psychedelics by health care providers in a 4
therapeutic setting and the necessary components and resources if Vermont 5
were to pursue such a program; 6
(C) consider how Vermont can develop and fund harm reduction 7
training and education for health practitioners and the public regarding the use 8
of psilocybin and other psychedelics; and 9
(D) propose a pilot project for the use of psilocybin-assisted therapies 10
in persons with serious illnesses and end-of-life care. 11
(2) The Working Group shall seek testimony from nationally recognized 12
research institutions that have conducted and are conducting research in 13
psychedelics. 14
(e) Assistance. The Working Group shall have the assistance of the 15
Vermont Department of Mental Health, in collaboration with the Vermont 16
Psychological Association, for purposes of scheduling and staffing meetings 17
and developing and submitting the report required by subsection (f) of this 18
section. 19
(f) Report