Illinois lawmakers reintroduce previously failed cannabis bills
The 104th General Assembly’s spring session returns Tuesday, Feb 04, and once again Illinois lawmakers have reintroduced several cannabis-related bills and provisions, which have previous failed to pass in past legislative sessions. The reintroduced bills include provisions for medical tax at all dispensaries, Cannabis Regulation Fund money allocations, and transport consolidation.
One of the most watched bills for registered medical patients is House Bill 1228, introduced by Rep. Sonya M. Harper, which provides that the definition “prescription and nonprescription medicine and drugs” includes cannabis or cannabis-infused products purchased from a dispensing organization under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act by a cardholder under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act, and provides that the tax imposed under the provisions is not imposed on cannabis-infused product that is subject to tax under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act or cannabis or cannabis-infused product sold to a cardholder under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. This bill is similar to the last couple of cannabis omnibus bills in which a provision allows for medical patients and caregivers to shop at any Illinois dispensary at the medical tax rate.
Another reintroduced provision includes in House Bill 2384, sponsored by Rep. Robert “Bob” Rita. HB2384 provides for the licensure of consolidated transport centers. The bill specifies requirements for consolidated transport centers, including operating documents, security plans, facility requirements, plant monitoring, prohibitions on ownership, and prohibitions on offering things of value to certain persons and licensees. The bill also provides:
- That cannabis business entities shall adhere to the traceability and consumer protection guidelines established by the Department of Agriculture when utilizing the cannabis plant monitoring system or cannabis transport GPS tracking system.
- That entities awarded a transporting license may defer paying the associated license fee for a period of no more than 3 years.
- That all products received and shipped to and from a consolidated transport center shall be tracked within the cannabis plant monitoring system.
- That a craft grower or infuser may enter into a contract with a transporting organization to transport cannabis to a consolidated transport center or a different transporting organization at the consolidated transport center.
- That no person, cannabis business establishment, or entity other than a licensed transportation organization shall transport cannabis or cannabis-infused products on behalf of a cannabis business establishment to or from a consolidated transport center, unless otherwise authorized by rule.
Two more reintroduced cannabis provisions also have been included in House Bill 1772 and House Bill 1023. Both bills would reallocate moneys from the Cannabis Regulation Fund. HB1772, sponsored by Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II, would provide that, of the 8% of funds transferred to the Local Government Distributive Fund, 2% shall be used to fund law enforcement training programs that include
- the use of de-escalation techniques to prevent or reduce the need for force whenever safe and feasible,
- specific training on officer safety techniques including cover, concealment, and time, and
- training focused on high-risk traffic stops; 2% shall be used for the purchase of body cameras; 2% shall be for law enforcement to use at their discretion; 1% shall be allocated to counties for costs associated with pretrial services; and 1% shall be allocated to counties for costs associated with juvenile expungements.
Tarver introduced these same provisions last year in House Bill 5216, and the provisions failed in January’s legislative session.
HB1023, introduced by Rep. John M. Cabello, would increase the percentage of moneys that are transferred from the Cannabis Regulation Fund to the Local Government Distributive Fund, and provide that moneys allocated to counties under those provisions shall be directed to a fund under the control of the Sheriff. The same provisions had been introduced last year in Senate Bill 1969, sponsored by Sen. Steve McClure, which also died in January’s legislative session.
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