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Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia Legislature establishes a regulated framework for the medical use of psilocybin to treat post-traumatic stress disorder
Last action · February 16, 2026: To House Health and Human ResourcesSponsors: Rick Hillenbrand and 2 others
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What This Bill Proposed
House Bill 5588 adopts the Therapeutic Psilocybin Act, creating a state-regulated medical psilocybin program overseen by the Department of Health to allow the cultivation, testing, recommendation, and administration of psilocybin for qualified patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The legislation establishes licensing boards, s, electronic verification tracking, and specialized training and registration requirements for medical providers, therapists, and production establishments beginning July 1, 2026.
The measure establishes criminal and civil immunity for registered cultivators, clinicians, and patients participating in the state program, while creating strict security, video surveillance, and testing mandates for all psilocybin facilities and treatment locations.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe mental health condition affecting veterans and first responders, often treated with conventional psychotherapies or medications that have high dropout rates. context
- Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain fungi that has become the subject of clinical research for its potential in treating treatment-resistant mental health conditions. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder
Patients may legally obtain recommendations, possess, and receive supervised administration of medical psilocybin treatment.
Qualified medical psilocybin providers
Medical professionals must complete specific continuing education and department registration to recommend psilocybin treatments.
Psilocybin production establishments
Cultivators and testing laboratories must obtain licenses, post performance bonds, comply with zoning restrictions, and utilize real-time inventory tracking.
State employers and political subdivisions
Employers must provide written notice to employees whose duties involve compliance with the act that their actions may violate federal criminal law.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to receive medical psilocybin treatment under this act?
Can psilocybin production establishments advertise their products to the general public?
Are employers required to cover medical psilocybin through employee health insurance?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Feb 16, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Health and Human Resources
- Feb 16, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
- Feb 16, 2026HouseCommitteeTo Health and Human Resources
- Feb 16, 2026HouseIntroducedFiled for introduction
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Creation of Regulated Psychedelic Framework
The bill shifts state policy from strict criminal prohibition of psilocybin to a tightly regulated medical framework allowing cultivation, testing, and therapeutic administration for PTSD.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 85)
- Controversy90Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment15Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz75Current news / social attention level
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