San Francisco Democrat brings back bill to decriminalize psychedelic drugs, with changes

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T DECRIMINALIZE PSYCHEDELICS, TRY AND TRY AGAIN

Via Andrew Sheeler...

State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, is back this year with another bill to decriminalize the use of certain psychedelic drugs.

However, Wiener is going a different route than he did with last year’s SB 58, which Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed.

In his veto message for that bill, Newsom wrote that “California should immediately begin work to set up regulated treatment guidelines - replete with dosing information, therapeutic guidelines, rules to prevent against exploitation during guided treatments, and medical clearance of no underlying psychoses.”

SB 1012, by Wiener, seeks to do just that.

It would create a state Board of Psychedelic Facilitators, under the umbrella of the Department of Consumer Affairs, to license and regulate psychedelic therapists.

This therapy would be limited to people who are 21 and older, and would decriminalize the use of psilocybin, DMT, mescaline (though not peyote) and MDMA in therapeutic settings under the supervision of licensed and trained facilitators.

This bill does not allow for retail of psychedelics, nor does it decriminalize usage outside of a therapeutic context.

The bill has bipartisan backing, including from principal co-author Assemblywoman Marie Waldron, R-Valley Center.

The bill was introduced this week, and has yet to be assigned to a committee for review.

CALIFORNIA SIX-FIGURE EARNERS WOULD SEE BENEFIT OF U.S. HOUSE TAX PLAN

Via David Lightman...

Californians with six-figure incomes could benefit the most from the U.S. House’s plan to increase the deduction from state and local taxes, a new study finds.

The House is expected to consider the plan as soon as Tuesday. It would increase the deduction from the current $10,000 to $20,000 for joint federal income tax filers with adjusted gross incomes up to $500,000.

About 96% of the benefit would go to people in California with incomes of more than $150,000, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a progressive research organization.

It found that nearly everyone in the state with incomes of less than $91,000 would not benefit from the new break, since their state and local taxes generally are less than $10,000.

Those making $91,000 to $150,400 would see an average tax break from the bill of $20. But the biggest benefit from the legislation–covering an estimated 2.18 million adults–would go to those earning between $150,400 and $386,100.

They would see a new tax break averaging $460. Those with higher incomes that qualify would get an average new break of $840.

The bill’s prospects are shaky. While the bill has strong support among lawmakers in higher tax states,many Democrats and Republicans see it as too expensive and too tilted to the wealthy.

BIPARTISAN GROUP WILL ANNOUNCE EFFORT TO ‘COMPASSIONATELY’ CLEAR CALIFORNIA ENCAMPMENTS

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-San Diego, plans to announce a bipartisan effort with Democratic Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, to “compassionately clear homeless encampments” across the state.

Jones and Blakespear will announce Senate Bill 1011 at a 9 a.m. press conference Tuesday morning.

The bill, modeled after San Diego’s “Unsafe Camping Ordinance,” would effectively ban homeless encampments altogether, and direct the people living in them to necessary services.

San Diego’s ordinance went into effect at in July 2023, and according to local news reports, has been a relief to those not living in the, and a total disruption for the homeless people who have found safety and security in encampments.

Local governments, including Sacramento, have sought to clear homeless encampments, but continue to hit a roadblock. A 2018 Supreme Court decision, Martin v. Boise, that found it unconstitutional to criminally penalize people camping in public when they don’t have access to any other shelter.

The problem with encampment sweeps, opponents say, is that the homeless don’t have anywhere else to go.

SB 1011 was written by Jones, with Blakespear serving as principal co-author. A handful of other Senate Republicans co-authored, as well as Democrats Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, D-Jackson, and Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Thank you, Toni Atkins.

You are one of the most effective and thoughtful leaders of our time — a California trailblazer, a role model for millions, and a dear friend.”

- Senate Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, addressing his predecessor Sen. Toni Atkins on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Best of The Bee:

• Northern California Democrat to become Senate leader. He brings an ‘Energizer bunny’ work ethic, via Lindsey Holden.

• 3 killed as wicked winds in Northern California snap trees, cut power, via Ishani Desai, Sam Stanton, and Daniel Hunt.

• The Sacramento Bee’s Voter Guide is live with what you need for the March 5 primary election, via The Sacramento Bee Capitol Bureau.

• 73-year-old homeless woman trapped in tent during Sacramento storm: ‘I couldn’t move’, via Theresa Clift