Illinois House Passes Bill Giving Better Access For Minority Businesses For Cannabis License

The Illinois House has passed legislation aimed at giving minority business owners a better chance to break into the cannabis industry. If the Senate and Governor approve the plan, the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation would relax requirements for veteran owners to achieve a perfect score on their license application.

Governor JB Pritzker issued the following statement following the House passage of the additional cannabis legislation.

“As a state that values making our laws reflective of our diverse communities, we must ensure that social justice is at the center of everything we do — and today, that means building upon our work of passing the most equity-centric cannabis law in the nation,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “By authorizing additional lotteries that are focused on social equity applicants, we’re ensuring that communities that have been left out and left behind have new opportunities to access the cannabis industry. This legislation further ensures those least likely to have already had a foot in this industry will see a bigger piece of the pie. I want to thank Representative La Shawn K. Ford, all of the cosponsors and the many advocates for seeing this legislation through the House. I look forward to the Senate’s support in this step toward the Illinois our residents deserve.”