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Adult cannabis sales have been legal in Illinois since 2020.
Even with limited license holders for the production,
transportation and sale, the state's industry has generated
billions in sales and hundreds of millions in tax revenue for
the state.
Now law, Senate Bill 1559 waives annual license fees for
existing cannabis transportation organizations through Jan. 1,
2027. During the fall veto session last month, cannabis business
advocates shared their support for the measure.
Tiffany Ingram of the Cannabis Business Association said the
measure will help address the increase in applications.
"We ... are supportive of this measure because we understand
that the way transportation licenses are released every single
year, and what has come to our understanding is the number of
licenses that are being released is not matching up with the
amount of work that is available," Ingram said. "There is a
structural imbalance there."
The bill went into effect immediately after Pritzker's signature
Friday.
Peter Contos of Cannabis Equity Illinois said the measure will
help provide relief in the coming months.
"This is the most pressing deadline of all the cannabis items
right now as the statute currently reads that the [Illinois]
Department of Agriculture is legally required to put out another
round of applications for those transporter licenses at the turn
of the year," Contos told legislators.
According to state Rep. Norine Hammond, R-Macomb, the measure
does three things, including cutting application fees.
"Between January of 2024 and January of 2027, there will be no
fees required for the application for transporters," Hammond
said.
Illinois has the third-largest cannabis market in the nation.
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