Two Illinois House bills offer drastically different targets for cannabis funds. HB1189 offers the excess money from the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Fund to medical patients, and SB1969 would increase the percentage of money from the Cannabis Regulation Fund and redirect that money to a fund under the control of the Sheriff.

HB1189, sponsored by Rep. Bob Morgan, amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act and would refund money back to registered medical cannabis patients in Illinois. The bill provides “that, if there is an amount in excess of $12,500,000 in the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Fund on the effective date of the amendatory Act, the State Treasurer shall so certify to the Department of Public Health and the State Comptroller, and the Department of Public Health shall certify to the State Comptroller the names and addresses, as well as any other necessary information, of all medical cannabis patients who made any medical cannabis product purchase in the 180-day period preceding the effective date of the amendatory Act.” The bill was referred to the Rules Committee January 3.

HB1189 also provides “that the State Comptroller shall determine a refund amount by dividing the amount in excess of $12,500,000 by the number of medical cannabis patients certified by the Department of Public Health, and the State Comptroller shall disburse the refund amount to each medical cannabis patient certified by the Department of Public Health. Provides for the issuance of refunds if there is an amount in excess of $12,500,000 in the Fund on June 30, 2024 or June 30 of any subsequent year.”

SB1969, sponsored by Sen. Steve McClure, amends the State Finance Act. The bill “Increases the percentage of moneys that are transferred from the Cannabis Regulation Fund to the Local Government Distributive Fund. Provides that moneys allocated to counties under those provisions shall be directed to a fund under the control of the Sheriff.” The bill was referred to Assignment February 9. For more Illinois cannabis industry news, visit here.

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