In my last article, I wrote about the Lame Duck legislative session in Illinois. Ahead of the session, industry stakeholders intensified efforts to advance policy amendments to HB2911, which aimed to update the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act(CRTA).
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In addition to proposed amendments to the CRTA, Governor Pritzker expressed support for a bill (HB4293) that would have effectively criminalized the local sale of federally-legal cannabis. Notably, the measure did not prohibit online sales from out-of-state retailers. Instead, the bill would have introduced $10,000 daily fines and criminal penalties which would exclusively target in-state retailers selling hemp-derived legal THC (HDLT) products and CBD.
Both measures ultimately failed to be called for a vote.
Did the Ban on Federally Legal Cannabis Lack Support?
While Governor Pritzker has publicly claimed that the measure had enough support to pass the House—a sentiment some of his closest advisors have reiterated to me in off-record conversations—outlets like Crain’s Chicago have reported that Speaker Welch has privately maintained the votes weren’t there within the caucus.
This sentiment was echoed in reporting by ABC-7 Chicago, which noted that Welch’s spokesperson stated, “A lengthy caucus discussion found that the bill in its current form did not have enough support within the House Democratic Caucus. He is committed to continuing discussions so that when the bill ultimately passes, it is the best possible piece of legislation for the state of Illinois.”
WBEZ Chicago also reported that a source close to the governor claimed bill proponents had secured 62 votes to pass it. However, during an afternoon Democratic caucus meeting, a heated debate ensued, resulting in several votes peeling away and leaving proponents below the 60-vote threshold set by Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch for bringing the bill to a floor vote.
Pointing Fingers and Tears: Chaos Unfolds in Heated House Democratic Caucus Meeting
During a contentious House Democratic Caucus meeting, Governor Pritzker’s staff and departmental experts faced intense criticism and accusations while presenting information about the proposed ban on federally-legal cannabis products. According to Pritzker, his staffers—which he described as top-tier professionals with no political agenda—were invited to the meeting to answer questions and provide clarity to lawmakers.
Pritzker claimed that the meeting quickly became heated and that hostility escalated to the point where one staffer, overwhelmed by accusations and allegedly reduced to tears, left the meeting. Pritzker stated that the individual felt “frightened” after being called a liar and pointed at by opponents of the bill. He condemned the behavior as “unacceptable” and emphasized the need for an apology from the lawmakers.
Pritzker also expressed concern that incidents like this could deter professionals from working in state government.
What’s Next?
It remains unclear whether Governor Pritzker would support a bill that mandates testing, truth in labeling, and restrictions on the sale of federally-legal cannabis products to minors—without directly handing the market over to a limited and tightly controlled number of businesses licensed under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.
Representative Sonya Harper introduced HB5903, a bill aimed at addressing valid concerns raised during the contentious debate over federally-legal cannabis products. The legislation proposes regulating hemp products through mandatory testing, truth-in-labeling requirements, and age restrictions. Unlike previous proposals, it avoids measures that unfairly target or favor specific businesses while also steering clear of criminalizing these products. The language from HB5903 was reintroduced as HB0064 at the start of the 104th General Assembly in Illinois, , which was recently inaugurated.
Pritzker has previously acknowledged that the CRTA was intentionally designed to restrict the number of licenses, reasoning that “having too many dispensaries” would mean people “can’t make money.” In short, the CRTA was built on a foundation that limits participation in order to sustain high prices, a system that directly fuels the ongoing criminalization of cannabis in Illinois. This concept is explored in depth in my mini-documentary, available for free streaming at ColeMemo.com/MiniDoc.
The future of a proposal like HB2911—often referred to as the cannabis omnibus—remains uncertain.
Aimed at amending the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, HB2911’s fate hinges on ongoing discussions around access and market control, and how lawmakers ultimately balance these competing priorities. Notably, WBEZ Chicago previously reported that Representative La Shawn Ford said that the cannabis omnibus lacked the 60 votes needed for passage.
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