The New Hampshire House of Representatives has approved a bipartisan bill to legalize the regulated use of psilocybin for medical purposes.

After unanimously passing the House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee late last month, the full chamber advanced it in voice vote on the consent calendar on Thursday. It now goes to the House Finance Committee before a final floor vote that could move it to the Senate.

The legislation from Rep. Buzz Scherr (D) would create a regulatory pathway for patients with certain conditions to access the psychedelic for therapeutic use through a program overseen by the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Rep. Yury Polozov (R) said in a committee report that the bill would provide needed access to psilocybin “under medical supervision for conditions such as treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, and other qualifying diagnoses determined by an advisory board and the department.”

“This legislation offers a balanced, medically-supervised approach to therapeutic psilocybin use,” he said. “It addresses unmet needs for individuals with severe, treatment-resistant conditions by providing access in a controlled environment, grounded in emerging scientific evidence and harm reduction principles.”

Here are the key provisions of HB 1809:

• DHHS would be responsible for approving licensed medical professional to serve as providers of psilocybin for qualifying patients.
• In order to qualify for the program, patients would need to be diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use disorder or another condition authorized by an advisory board and DHHS.
• The legislation specifically stipulates that only natural psilocybin could be administered, excluding synthetic versions of the psychedelic.
• Providers would also need to be approved by the department to grow and harvest their own psilocybin products.
• The process for treating qualifying patients with the psychedelic would need to involve a preparation session, administration session and integration session.
• A Medical Psilocybin Advisory Board would be established, comprised of a representative of DHHS, a qualifying patient, a veterans advocate and eight medical professionals.
  • Those medical experts would need to include a psychedelics researcher, two regulators overseeing existing medical psilocybin programs and specialists in the treatment of addiction, palliative care, veterans’ affairs, naturopathy, nursing and mental health counseling.
• The board would be tasked with analyzing data on patient outcomes from DHHS, consider adding qualifying conditions for participation in the program and determine whether the law should be expanded.
• The program would only be implemented if the advisory board, within two years of the bill’s enactment, notifies lawmakers, regulators and the governor that it can be effectively administered.

The prospect of the psilocybin legislation advancing to enactment into law this session remain unclear, but lawmakers have been increasingly active in pursuing psychedelics reform in recent years.

Last June, the New Hampshire Senate voted to scrap compromise legislation that would have lowered the state’s criminal penalty for first-time psilocybin possession while also creating mandatory minimum sentences around fentanyl.

As originally introduced, the legislation would have completely removed penalties around obtaining, purchasing, transporting, possessing or using psilocybin, effectively legalizing it on a noncommercial basis. However a House committee amended the bill before unanimously advancing it last March.

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Meanwhile in New Hampshire, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday rejected a House-passed bill to legalize marijuana in the state.

That proposal is one of several cannabis bills filed for the 2026 session, including legislation from Rep. Jonah Wheeler (D) that seeks to put a constitutional amendment on the state ballot that would let voters decide if they want to legalize marijuana for adults 21 and older, allowing them to “possess a modest amount of cannabis for their personal use.” Members of the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee took up that legislation late last month.

Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) has already threatened to veto any legalization bill that reaches her desk, though the constitutional amendment proposal would not require gubernatorial action.

The governor said in August that her position on the reform would not change even if the federal government moved forward with rescheduling the plant. Since then, President Donald Trump has directed the attorney general to finalize the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

In the Senate, the Judiciary Committee last month also took up a bill from Sen. Donovan Fenton (D) that would allow adults over the age of 21 to legally possess up to four ounces of cannabis in plant form and 20 grams of concentrated cannabis products, as well as other products containing no more than 2,000 milligrams of THC.

Last June, the New Hampshire Senate voted to scrap compromise legislation that would have lowered the state’s criminal penalty for first-time psilocybin possession while also creating mandatory minimum sentences around fentanyl.

As originally introduced, the legislation would have completely removed penalties around obtaining, purchasing, transporting, possessing or using psilocybin, effectively legalizing it on a noncommercial basis. However, a House committee amended the bill before unanimously advancing it last March.

NASHUA, N.H (WHDH) – The final firefighter injured in a fire in Nashua, New Hampshire earlier this month has been released from the hospital and is back with his family, officials said.

Nashua, New Hampshire Fire Chief Steven Buxton said the firefighter, who was injured in a fire that caused a massive explosion at a mental health facility on Amherst Street on Feb. 2, was released Sunday afternoon.

In a statement, Buxton said, “Nashua Fire Department is very thankful for the support of the community during his recovery. Chief Buxton is particularly thankful for the staff at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center for their tremendous care and support.”

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In Memory of Rep. Harry Bean

CONCORD, NH – House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn), Deputy Majority Floor Leader Juliet Harvey-Bolia (R-Tilton), and Representative Steven Bogert (R-Laconia) eulogized State Representative Harry Bean, who passed away in the morning of Feb. 14, in a statement released Saturday.

Gov. Kelly Ayotte also spoke about Harry Bean as a devoted public servant, husband, father, and grandfather.

“And I’m saddened to hear of his passing today,” Ayotte said in a statement Saturday. “Harry was always a steadfast advocate for Belknap County and dedicated to making our entire state an even better place to live. Joe and I are praying for Priscilla and the entire Bean family. He will be dearly missed,” Ayotte said.

Osborne said: “State Representative Harry H. Bean III has been a stalwart of Belknap County. First elected in 2018, Representative Bean served the New Hampshire House and the people of our state for eight years. I pass my condolences to his wife Priscilla, three children, eight grandchildren, five great grandchildren,  friends, the Belknap Delegation, and all House colleagues.

“The Bean family has called Gilford home since 1842,” Osborne continued. “A true Granite Stater, Representative Bean cared deeply for our Veterans. Representative Bean always put his constituents in Gilford, Gilmanton and Laconia first, and I will always remember attending his Bean Family Barbequeues during the summer. I once again send my condolences to his entire family, and all of his House Colleagues.”

Deputy Majority Floor Leader Juliet Harvey-Bolia said, “Harry was the embodiment of a true public servant. With care and dedication, he cultivated an atmosphere of harmony within our county delegation. I had the pleasure to serve with him for the past six years. Harry always fought on behalf of Belknap County. When I think of Harry, I will remember his commitment to fairness. Harry listened to everybody, even when he disagreed with them. Under his leadership, Belknap County and the state of New Hampshire have become a better place. He will be sorely missed, but lovingly remembered.”

Representative Steven Bogert added, “Harry has been a dear friend for over 20 years. As Chairman of the Belknap County Delegation, Harry’s guidance has helped reshape Belknap County. Over the years, his leadership has driven our county to be better and better. A champion arm wrestler who used his platform to raise tens of thousands of dollars for charity, Harry was truly a philanthropist and a man of the people. I too, pass my condolences to Priscilla, his family and friends. As a friend of Harry, and fellow Representative I will miss him dearly.”