Monday, May 13, 2024

California's new magic mushroom team

Presented by Amazon: Inside the Golden State political arena
May 13, 2024 View in browser
 
POLITICO California Playbook

By Dustin Gardiner and Lara Korte

Presented by 

Amazon

Psilocybin mushrooms are seen in a grow room.

A new coalition, the Alliance for Safer Use of Psychedelics, is campaigning for a bill that would allow for the use of certain psychedelics in therapeutic settings. | Peter Dejong/AP

THE BUZZ: DIFFERENT TRIP — Past efforts to legalize the personal use of psychedelic drugs in California have often fizzled amid a lack of political muscle and campaign infrastructure.

But a new coalition — which launches today in support of a bill to legalize magic mushrooms and other hallucinogens for therapeutic use — has enlisted a roster that is decidedly more A-team than pipedream.

The group, dubbed the Alliance for Safer Use of Psychedelics, exclusively spoke with Playbook about its leadership, which includes veteran Sacramento operatives, medical researchers, national drug-policy reform advocates, veterans and first responders, as well as parents who’ve lost children to psychedelic use.

The cohort of strategists, experts and lobbyists, many reported here for the first time, highlights the intensity of the effort around this year’s bill.

Dan Seeman, a longtime lobbyist at the state Capitol and former Newsom adviser, said the new team is “indicative of the increased seriousness of the advocacy behind this campaign.”

Their revived effort comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill last fall that would have decriminalized the personal use of some psychedelics, including mushrooms — similar bills and ballot measures have failed at least a half-dozen times.

Now, psychedelic advocates are focused on a new approach with Senate Bill 1012, which would allow for psychedelics administered by licensed and vetted facilitators in therapeutic settings. The bill is carried by state Sen. Scott Wiener, a liberal Democrat who authored last year’s unsuccessful bill, and Assemblymember Marie Waldron, the chamber’s former GOP leader.

The bill has a crucial hurdle this week, as the Appropriations Committee faces a deadline to decide the fate of bills with fiscal impacts. Legislative staff hasn’t released a specific cost estimate, though they said the cost several million dollars per year to oversee the program.

The key players advocating for the bill:

Seeman and Anthony Molina: lobbyists

Seeman and Molina, both longtime Sacramento lobbyists, are spearheading efforts within the Capitol. Seeman was previously deputy cabinet secretary in Newsom’s administration, advising the governor on public safety issues, and he was also legislative secretary to former Gov. Jerry Brown. Molina is a former Capitol staffer and previously worked as legislative director for state Sen. Anthony Portantino.

New Approach Advocacy Fund: national funder

The fund has, for years, backed progressive efforts to repeal drug laws, including marijuana legalization in states across the country. It has recently bankrolled successful ballot initiatives to legalize psychedelics in Oregon and Colorado. Those states broadly decriminalized psychedelics, which is a much more aggressive approach than Wiener’s latest bill.

Graham Boyd, the fund’s president, is one of the most prolific drug-policy reform advocates in the country and has worked on numerous state campaigns. New Approach hasn’t disclosed its most recent donors in California, but its work over the last decade has been funded by a host of liberal mega donors, including Progressive Insurance founder Daniel Lewis and Napster founder Sean Parker.

Coalition for Psychedelic Safety and Education: public-safety advocates

The Coalition for Psychedelic Safety and Education is led by parents and public safety advocates whose children have died in psychedelics-involved incidents. They work to raise awareness about the risks of increasing psychedelic use, which has led to a surge in hospitalizations in recent years. That’s why their involvement in the alliance backing SB1012 is so surprising. Last year, the coalition opposed Wiener’s decriminalization bill, urging Newsom to veto it.

Kristin Nash, a public health expert and member of the coalition, lost her son after he fatally choked after taking psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms. Nash said her group came to the table after Wiener revised his approach to focus on the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, if safely regulated. She said advocates also pushed for the bill to include public education about the risks of psychedelics, including a forthcoming ad campaign.

“If you look at the players in the alliance, everyone has their own reason for being at the table,” Nash told Playbook. “Yet we share this idea of safe access to these substances.”

Heroic Hearts Project (HHP), VETS (Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions and Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP): PTSD treatment advocates

These groups are focused on the potential therapeutic benefits for combat veterans or first responders suffering from mental illnesses, including PTSD or depression. Their support has been crucial in convincing some Republican lawmakers, Walderon included, to support medicinal uses.

GOOD MORNING. Happy Monday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook.

Meanwhile, you can text us at ‪916-562-0685‬‪ — save it as “CA Playbook” in your contacts. Or drop us a line at lkorte@politico.com and dgardiner@politico.com, or on X — @DustinGardiner and @Lara_Korte.

WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.

‘KILL BILL’ CONTEST ALERT! GUESS WHICH BILLS WON'T SURVIVE, WIN PRIZES — It's that time of year again, when California lawmakers run through hundreds of bills in quick succession and announce which will (and won't) advance from the Appropriations committees to the floor. Now’s your chance to make your predictions and compete against your fellow politicos — and the Playbook authors — to guess which bills won't survive Thursday’s dreaded “suspense file.”

Those with the most accurate guesses will receive a shout-out in California Playbook and some extra special swag. The first place winner will also be treated to a coffee & pastry date with Playbook writers Lara and Dustin. (And by the way, we are only counting correct guesses as bills that are blocked by the committees — not those that are gutted beyond recognition.)

Remember: If you don’t leave your name and email with your prediction, we won’t be able to contact you if you win.

 

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Roman started at an Amazon fulfillment center in San Bernardino, California and with help from Amazon Career Choice transitioned to a career with Amazon Music, “my new job has tripled my salary,” he said. Amazon fulfillment centers create 3,000 local jobs on average with comprehensive benefits and free on-the-job technical training programs in towns across the country, like San Bernardino, California. See the impact.

 
NEWSOMLAND

California Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses some of the ways that have been used to reduce the state's budget deficit in his revised 2024-25 state budget unveiled during a news conference in Sacramento.

Gov. Gavin Newsom discussed his plan to address the state's budget deficit during a news conference in Sacramento on Friday. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo

BUDGET BLUES — Newsom released his much-anticipated May revised budget on Friday, outlining a plan to address the state’s $27.6 billion budget deficit. The governor proposes to slash agency spending, gut financial aid for middle-class students and suspend business tax credits.

POLITICO Pro subscribers can read all the details here from our colleague Blake Jones, who’s following the budget like a hawk. Newsom’s latest proposal kicks off a more intense stage of budget negotiations between his administration and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and state Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire.

 

NEW! AN EXCLUSIVE CALIFORNIA BALLOT-MEASURES COVERAGE TEAM: The impact that ballot measures have on California residents, industries, and Legislature is enormous. From settling broad cultural questions to changing obscure governance rules, ballot measures in essence, have become the fourth branch of government in the most influential state capital in the U.S. As your go-to source for reporting on Golden State politics, policy, power, POLITICO has formed a new ballot measure team in California that will deliver in-depth insights into the strategies, policy ideas, personalities, money and influence driving ballot measures. LEARN MORE.

 
 
SAN FRANCISCO

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: CALL IT A HATE-DEMIC — Bitter fights over cease-fire resolutions polarized the Democratic Party in San Francisco over the last year. But a new crop of local party leaders is taking another approach to combat rising anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish hate by calling it an epidemic-like crisis.

Bilal Mahmood, a member of the county party’s central committee, told Playbook that he plans to unveil a resolution today that would declare Islamophobia, antisemitism and all other forms of racism a public health crisis. It would demand city leaders offer more support services to people who are victims of hate incidents, including speech, through the Department of Public Health.

“This is a public safety crisis, but it’s also a public health crisis,” he said, citing research showing an uptick in mental health problems, including depression, PTSD and suicidal ideation among marginalized groups. “It’s almost like a virus that’s mutating strains between subpopulations.”

Mahmood, who is Muslim and a candidate for city supervisor in November, said he proposed the resolution because he felt the party and local leaders haven’t done enough to respond to Islamophobia that’s increased in recent years, especially amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

He added, however, that rather than focus on one group’s trauma, he wants the party to get past divisive resolution fights and develop a new mindset that acknowledges reported hate crimes are sharply rising for all groups — even in some of the country’s most liberal and ethnically diverse cities.

“It’s not just one population that is suffering,” Mahmood said. The county party committee is expected to vote on the resolution on May 22.

 

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ON THE AGENDA

FLOOR SESH — The Assembly and state Senate will hold floor sessions at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

CLIMATE AND ENERGY

Rob Bonta fields questions during a press conference.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta. | Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

BONTA ON OIL — Newsom is on a climate crusade, and Attorney General Rob Bonta — who's mulling a run for governor himself — is his righthand man. We checked in with Bonta on how his lawsuit against the oil industry is going and if we might see another one soon. Read more in Friday’s California Climate newsletter.

 

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TOP TALKERS

— Federal authorities are seeking a 40-year prison sentence for David DePape, the man who was convicted last year of hitting former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer and attempting to kidnap her. (POLITICO)

— Despite wide speculation about California’s Latino and AAPI voters becoming Republican, it turns out the Democratic Party has actually seen a larger bump from independent voters changing their registration. (San Francisco Chronicle)

AROUND THE STATE

ORANGE COUNTY: Homelessness is surging in Orange County, with more than 7,000 unhoused people living in the county. That’s more than even before the pandemic. (Los Angeles Times)

DAVIS: Pro-Palestinian protesters at an encampment on the campus of UC Davis say they’ve had multiple confrontations with counterprotesters, including a violent encounter. (The Sacramento Bee)

BAY AREA: Jewish families say anti-Israel messaging in some school districts in San Francisco and the wider Bay Area has left many worried about their children’s safety — and some are considering transferring schools. (Los Angeles Times)

BORDER: A tiny town along the U.S.-Mexico border, unincorporated Campo, is almost entirely listed for sale. The asking price: $6.6 million. (The San Diego Union-Tribune)

 

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PLAYBOOKERS

London Breed drag queens

San Francisco drag laureate D’Arcy Drollinger, right, with Mayor London Breed during a performance at the Oasis night club. | Dustin Gardiner/POLITICO

SPOTTED: WHEN DRAG SLAPS — San Francisco Mayor London Breed joined the city’s drag laureate, D’Arcy Drollinger, onstage Saturday night at the Oasis, a famed drag showhouse. Breed congratulated Drollinger on the success of “Bitch Slap,” her original production spoofing 80s night-time soap operas. Think shoulder pads, melodrama and, yes, bitch slaps with sound effects. Breed thanked the cast for bringing joy to the city. Then, the audience roared when Breed yelled “bitch slap me!” as Drollinger pretended to clock the mayor. Afterward, Breed mingled with the show’s campy cast at the bar.

SPOTTED: CASH DASH — California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom attended President Joe Biden’s campaign fundraiser in Silicon Valley on Friday. She posted a photo with Biden from the event, which was held at the Palo Alto home of former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer. Also spotted: Rep. Anna Eshoo.

Speaking of fundraising … former President Barack Obama, George Clooney and Julia Roberts will headline a major Biden fundraiser in Los Angeles next month, NBC’s Monica Alba and Mike Memoli scooped. The celebs will also take part in a social media, email and text message campaign to gin up excitement and contributions from grassroots donors.

IN MEMORIAM — East Bay political leader Peggy Moore and her wife, leadership coach Hope Wood, were killed in a car accident Friday night. Moore had a long and storied political career, including working as deputy field director for Obama’s 2008 campaign and as a top adviser to former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. Moore also organized an annual March for the lesbian community in Oakland. More here from the San Francisco Chronicle.

ALSO IN MEMORIAM — Veteran entertainment reporter Sam Rubin died on Friday at age 64. He had covered Hollywood for Los Angeles television viewers since 1991, with local station KTLA. Rubin suffered a heart attack at his home, after delivering his regular Friday morning segment, Variety reported.

STORK ALERT — Alexandra Stabler, director of global partnerships at Global Citizen, and Matthew McCauley, a health care investment banking associate at Goldman Sachs, on May 4 welcomed newborn Naomi Stabler McCauley, who came in at 6lbs 15oz. Pic

PEOPLE MOVES — Taylor West will be executive director of the Healing Advocacy Fund. She is co-creator of the inaugural UC Berkeley Psychedelics Survey in conjunction with the Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics.

BIRTHDAYS — Ryan Silber

BELATED B-DAY WISHES — (was Sunday): Delaney Hunter of California Advisors LLC …

(was Sunday): Lois WolkKevin Fox of Rep. Ro Khanna’s (D-Calif.) office … Penny Lee of the Financial Technology Association … May LiErica Arbetter of Google … Forbes’ Alexandra LevineJim Boales

(was Saturday): Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) … state Sen. Scott Wiener ... Microsoft’s Fred Humphries Kor Adana Derek Mazzeo of the Los Angeles County Young Democrats …

(was Friday): Jonathan Powell of the Motion Picture Association … Tim Powderly of Apple … Carter FoxgroverJohn Meroney

WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO’s California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form. Disclaimer: All information will be verified.

CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this subscriber-only service offers, click here.

Want to make an impact? POLITICO California has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Golden State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Rebecca Haase to find out how: rhaase@politico.com.

 

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