Lang
6/14/25
Republican lawmakers say they’re taken aback by Governor Kim Reynolds’ veto of a bill that would have allowed for the prescription and distribution of synthetic psilocybin depending on federal approval of the drug.
House File 383 sought to legalize the use of psilocybin as a treatment for mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, if it were to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The bill passed with unanimous consent in both chambers of the legislature.
Reynolds, a Republican, said in a statement that her veto was not a dismissal of emerging science, but instead was “a call for a more deliberate and Iowa-centric approach.” She argued that the state’s public health systems, law enforcement, and regulatory systems were not prepared to deal with the aftermath of the bill’s passage. Reynolds also said she didn’t want to legalize the drug for medicinal purposes before it was approved by the FDA and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
The bill’s floor manager, Republican Rep. Brett Barker of Nevada, told Iowa Capital Dispatch that the veto from the governor was “unexpected” considering the unanimous support the bill received in both chambers. Barker said he looks forward to speaking with Reynolds about her concerns.
A link to the full Iowa Capitol Dispatch article can be found here.