Illinois House Approves Bill to Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Illinois will become the 11th state in the country to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults under a bill that won final passage in the state legislature on Friday.
With a bipartisan vote of 66-47, the House approved the bill that had been passed by the Senate on Wednesday.
The bill takes effect Jan. 1 and would allow residents age 21 and older to legally possess 30 grams of cannabis, 5 grams of cannabis concentrate or 500 milligrams of THC contained in a cannabis-infused product. Nonresidents could possess 15 grams of cannabis.
“This will have a transformational impact on our state, creating opportunity in the communities that need it most and giving so many a second chance,” said Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The bill allows for previous convictions dealing with amounts of marijuana under 30 grams to be erased.
With the governor’s signature, Illinois would become the first state to create a commercial recreational marijuana industry through the legislature rather than by voter initiative.
The legislation will raise about $57 million in new revenue in fiscal 2020, which begins on July 1, and as much as $500 million annually when fully implemented, according to its sponsors.
