Illinois Rep. Nicholas K. Smith introduced on Feb. 9 House Bill 5633, which would remove the “requirement that, in order to substantiate a patient’s medical condition, a patient must provide the name of the registered medical cannabis dispensing organization.”

HB5633 amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act by deleting, “A registered qualifying patient shall notify the Department of Public Health of any change to his or her designated registered dispensing organization. The Department Public Health shall provide for immediate changes of a registered qualifying patient’s designated registered dispensing organization. Registered dispensing organizations must comply with all requirements of this Act.”

HB5633 also provides that a patient may purchase medical cannabis from any licensed dispensing organization during the provisional registration period, as well as deletes the provision that medical patients must “enter the registry identification number of the registered dispensing organization the patient designates into the verification system.”

For this legislative session, HB5633 is only one of three introduced Illinois House bills dealing with registered medical patients. The most significant House bill for cannabis patients, HB5284, would eliminate health care facility restrictions on medical cannabis use by a registered qualifying patient. HB4465 is basically a protective tax rate amendment for medical patients.

The only significant Illinois Senate bill introduced this session was SB3099, which would eliminate the requirements for a physical medical-cannabis examination for those applying for a medical card and registered cardholders in the Medical Cannabis Program. For more Illinois cannabis industry news, visit here.

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