AB 2489 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Controlled substances: research.

Summary
Existing law, the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act, classifies controlled substances into 5 designated schedules, with the most restrictive limitations generally placed on controlled substances classified in Schedule I, and the least restrictive limitations generally placed on controlled substances in Schedule V. Existing law creates the Research Advisory Panel, as specified, to conduct hearings on, and in other ways study, research projects concerning controlled substances. Existing law authorizes the panel to approve research projects that have been registered with the Attorney General concerning the nature and effects of cannabis or hallucinogenic drugs and the treatment of abuse of controlled substances. Existing law authorizes a person who, under federal law, is entitled to use controlled substances for the purpose of research, instruction, or analysis to lawfully obtain and use those controlled substances upon approval by the panel, as specified. This bill, the California Veterans' Right to Try Act, would, until January 1, 2032, authorize the Research Advisory Panel to submit an investigational new drug application to the United States Food and Drug Administration requesting approval for a clinical trial of Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substances to study the administration and efficacy of those compounds among a patient pool comprised exclusively of veteran subjects with comorbidities that commonly overlap with the incidence of suicidality among veterans. This bill would make technical changes and would make related findings and declarations.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action May 14, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/20/26 - Introduced → 04/09/26 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Apr 9, 2026
MODERATE
The amended version extends the bill's sunset date from January 1, 2028 to January 1, 2032, giving the California Veterans' Right to Try Act four additional years of effect. It also removes the requirement in Section 11213 that a person's entitlement to use controlled substances for research be based on 'applicable federal laws or regulations,' broadening who may qualify. Additional changes include rewording of the panel's authority language and correction of typos in Section 11392.
Scope change
The bill's effective period was extended by four years (from 2028 to 2032), and the eligibility criteria for obtaining controlled substances for research were broadened by removing the federal-law basis requirement in Section 11213.
TIMELINE

The bill's sunset date was extended from January 1, 2028 to January 1, 2032, adding four years to the period during which the Research Advisory Panel can approve expedited clinical trials of Schedule I or II controlled substances for veteran participants.

ELIGIBILITY

Section 11213 removed the phrase 'under applicable federal laws or regulations' from the description of who may lawfully obtain and use controlled substances for research. The introduced version required that a person's entitlement be grounded in federal law; the amended version only requires that they are 'pursuant to any law' lawfully entitled, broadening the pool of eligible researchers.

REQUIREMENT

Section 11214.1(a) was reworded from 'the state authorizes the Research Advisory Panel to submit' to 'The Research Advisory Panel may submit,' shifting the framing from a state-granted authorization to a direct permission for the panel.

TECHNICAL

Section 11392 corrected multiple typos (psilocyn to psilocin, psyoclyin to psilocybin, lawfuly to lawfully) and changed the cross-reference from 'Sections 11480 and 11481' to just 'Section 11480,' removing a reference to a section that may not be relevant.

Assembly Members Harabedian and Patterson were added as coauthors of the bill.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
9
Key actions
3
Committee
5
Amendments
2
May 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
In committee: Held under submission.
lower
Apr 29, 2026
Committee
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
lower
Apr 13, 2026
Committee
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
lower
Apr 9, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read second time and amended.
lower
Apr 8, 2026
Introduced
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 7).
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and M. & V.A.
lower
Feb 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
lower
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors

Sponsors