410 ILCS 705/15-95

(410 ILCS 705/15-95)

Sec. 15-95. Agent-in-charge.

(a) Every dispensing organization shall designate, at a minimum, one agent-in-charge for each licensed dispensary. The designated agent-in-charge must hold a dispensing organization agent identification card. Maintaining an agent-in-charge is a continuing requirement for the license, except as provided in subsection (f).

(b) The agent-in-charge shall be a principal officer or a full-time agent of the dispensing organization and shall manage the dispensary. Managing the dispensary includes, but is not limited to, responsibility for opening and closing the dispensary, delivery acceptance, oversight of sales and dispensing organization agents, recordkeeping, inventory, dispensing organization agent training, and compliance with this Act and rules. Participation in affairs also includes the responsibility for maintaining all files subject to audit or inspection by the Department at the dispensary.

(c) The agent-in-charge is responsible for promptly notifying the Department of any change of information required to be reported to the Department.

(d) In determining whether an agent-in-charge manages the dispensary, the Department may consider the responsibilities identified in this Section, the number of dispensing organization agents under the supervision of the agent-in-charge, and the employment relationship between the agent-in-charge and the dispensing organization, including the existence of a contract for employment and any other relevant fact or circumstance.

(e) The agent-in-charge is responsible for notifying the Department of a change in the employment status of all dispensing organization agents within 5 business days after the change, including notice to the Department if the termination of an agent was for diversion of product or theft of currency.

(f) In the event of the separation of an agent-in-charge due to death, incapacity, termination, or any other reason and if the dispensary does not have an active agent-in-charge, the dispensing organization shall immediately contact the Department and request a temporary certificate of authority allowing the continuing operation. The request shall include the name of an interim agent-in-charge until a replacement is identified, or shall include the name of the replacement. The Department shall issue the temporary certificate of authority promptly after it approves the request. If a dispensing organization fails to promptly request a temporary certificate of authority after the separation of the agent-in-charge, its registration shall cease until the Department approves the temporary certificate of authority or registers a new agent-in-charge. No temporary certificate of authority shall be valid for more than 90 days. The succeeding agent-in-charge shall register with the Department in compliance with this Article. Once the permanent succeeding agent-in-charge is registered with the Department, the temporary certificate of authority is void. No temporary certificate of authority shall be issued for the separation of an agent-in-charge due to disciplinary action by the Department related to his or her conduct on behalf of the dispensing organization.

(g) The dispensing organization agent-in-charge registration shall expire one year from the date it is issued. The agent-in-charge's registration shall be renewed annually. The Department shall review the dispensing organization's compliance history when determining whether to grant the request to renew.

(h) Upon termination of an agent-in-charge's employment, the dispensing organization shall immediately reclaim the dispensing agent identification card. The dispensing organization shall promptly return the identification card to the Department.

(i) The Department may deny an application or renewal or discipline or revoke an agent-in-charge identification card for any of the following reasons:

(1) Submission of misleading, incorrect, false, or fraudulent information in the application or renewal application;

(2) Violation of the requirements of this Act or rules;

(3) Fraudulent use of the agent-in-charge identification card;

(4) Selling, distributing, transferring in any manner, or giving cannabis to any unauthorized person;

(5) Theft of cannabis, currency, or any other items from a dispensary;

(6) Tampering with, falsifying, altering, modifying, or duplicating an agent-in-charge identification card;

(7) Tampering with, falsifying, altering, or modifying the surveillance video footage, point-of-sale system, or the State's verification system;

(8) Failure to notify the Department immediately upon discovery that the agent-in-charge identification card has been lost, stolen, or destroyed;

(9) Failure to notify the Department within 5 business days after a change in the information provided in the application for an agent-in-charge identification card;

(10) Conviction of a felony offense in accordance with Sections 2105-131, 2105-135, and 2105-205 of the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois or any incident listed in this Act or rules following the issuance of an agent-in-charge identification card;

(11) Dispensing to purchasers in amounts above the limits provided in this Act; or

(12) Delinquency in filing any required tax returns or paying any amounts owed to the State of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 101-27, eff. 6-25-19; 101-593, eff. 12-4-19.)