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California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Assembly Bill

AB 2489: Controlled substances: research.

In committee Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

AB 2489 is a assembly bill introduced in the California Assembly on February 20, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Controlled substances: research. Primary sponsor: Josh Lowenthal (D). It lists 3 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (May 14, 2026): In committee: Held under submission.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

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.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2 · Republican 2

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Josh LowenthalPrimary sponsorDemocraticAssembly69
Jeff GonzalezCo-sponsorRepublicanAssembly36
John HarabedianCo-sponsorDemocraticAssembly41
Joe PattersonCo-sponsorRepublicanAssembly5

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. In committee: Held under submission.
  2. Coauthors revised.
  3. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
  4. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
  5. Read second time and amended.
  6. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 7).
  7. Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and M. & V.A.
  8. From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
  9. Read first time. To print.

Sources

  1. California Legislative Information — pubinfo database export
  2. Official bill page