The day before Illinois’ spring legislative session ended, lawmakers were poised to pass a wide-ranging cannabis bill that was meant to save struggling small businesses. The measure had largely been agreed upon by stakeholders in months of meetings.
But large cannabis companies and some lawmakers suddenly pushed to include a ban on hemp-derived products like delta-8 THC. That controversial measure blew up any agreement on the all-in-one “omnibus” bill. The Cannabis Business Association of Illinois, which represents most of the existing industry and large growers, instead got the tax breaks it wanted approved, while the small business bill failed.
The Cannabis Equity Illinois Coalition, which was pushing for the legislation, issued a statement saying, “Our lawmakers failed us by not advancing the cannabis omnibus.”
“All they really wanted was to kill the omnibus bill and slow down the growth of social equity,” state Rep. La Shawn Ford said. Lawmakers who say they support diversity in the industry have a second chance to approve the measure in the fall veto session, which resumes Tuesday.
The key proposed change would increase the size of the growing area, allowing for craft cannabis growers from 5,000 to 14,000 square feet. That expansion would help new business owners who’ve been unable to open due to lack of funds get financing to open their businesses.
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