HB5633 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 38963 CES 69100 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5633

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Rep. Nicholas K. Smith

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

410 ILCS 130/60
410 ILCS 130/62
410 ILCS 130/70
410 ILCS 130/75

Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Removes the requirement that, in order to substantiate a patient's medical condition, a patient must provide the name of the registered medical cannabis dispensing organization. Provides that a patient may purchase medical cannabis from any licensed dispensing organization during the provisional registration period. Makes conforming changes throughout. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning health.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act is amended by changing Sections 60, 62, 70, and 75 as follows:

(410 ILCS 130/60)

Sec. 60. Issuance of registry identification cards.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the Department of Public Health shall:

(1) verify the information contained in an application or renewal for a registry identification card submitted under this Act, and approve or deny an application or renewal, within 90 days of receiving a completed application or renewal application and all supporting documentation specified in Section 55;

(2) issue registry identification cards to a qualifying patient and his or her designated caregiver, if any, within 15 business days of approving the application or renewal;

(3) (blank); and enter the registry identification number of the registered dispensing organization the patient designates into the verification system; and

(4) allow for an electronic application process, and provide a confirmation by electronic or other methods that an application has been submitted.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Department of Public Health shall adopt rules for qualifying patients and applicants with life-long debilitating medical conditions, who may be charged annual renewal fees. The Department of Public Health shall not require patients and applicants with life-long debilitating medical conditions to apply to renew registry identification cards.

(b) The Department of Public Health may not issue a registry identification card to a qualifying patient who is under 18 years of age, unless that patient suffers from seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy, or as provided by administrative rule. The Department of Public Health shall adopt rules for the issuance of a registry identification card for qualifying patients who are under 18 years of age and suffering from seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy. The Department of Public Health may adopt rules to allow other individuals under 18 years of age to become registered qualifying patients under this Act with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. Registered qualifying patients under 18 years of age shall be prohibited from consuming forms of cannabis other than medical cannabis infused products and purchasing any usable cannabis.

(c) A veteran who has received treatment at a VA hospital is deemed to have a bona fide health care professional-patient relationship with a VA certifying health care professional if the patient has been seen for his or her debilitating medical condition at the VA hospital in accordance with VA hospital protocols. All reasonable inferences regarding the existence of a bona fide health care professional-patient relationship shall be drawn in favor of an applicant who is a veteran and has undergone treatment at a VA hospital.

(c-10) An individual who submits an application as someone who is terminally ill shall have all fees waived. The Department of Public Health shall within 30 days after this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly adopt emergency rules to expedite approval for terminally ill individuals. These rules shall include, but not be limited to, rules that provide that applications by individuals with terminal illnesses shall be approved or denied within 14 days of their submission.

(d) No later than 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, the Secretary of State shall remove all existing notations on driving records that the person is a registered qualifying patient or his or her caregiver under this Act.

(e) Upon the approval of the registration and issuance of a registry card under this Section, the Department of Public Health shall electronically forward the registered qualifying patient's identification card information to the Prescription Monitoring Program established under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act and certify that the individual is permitted to engage in the medical use of cannabis. For the purposes of patient care, the Prescription Monitoring Program shall make a notation on the person's prescription record stating that the person is a registered qualifying patient who is entitled to the lawful medical use of cannabis. If the person no longer holds a valid registry card, the Department of Public Health shall notify the Prescription Monitoring Program and Department of Human Services to remove the notation from the person's record. The Department of Human Services and the Prescription Monitoring Program shall establish a system by which the information may be shared electronically. This confidential list may not be combined or linked in any manner with any other list or database except as provided in this Section.

(f) (Blank).

(Source: P.A. 100-1114, eff. 8-28-18; 101-363, eff. 8-9-19; 101-593, eff. 12-4-19.)

(410 ILCS 130/62)

Sec. 62. Opioid Alternative Pilot Program.

(a) The Department of Public Health shall establish the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program. Licensed dispensing organizations shall allow persons with a written certification from a certifying health care professional under Section 36 to purchase medical cannabis upon enrollment in the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program. The Department of Public Health shall adopt rules or establish procedures allowing qualified veterans to participate in the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program. For a person to receive medical cannabis under this Section, the person must present the written certification along with a valid driver's license or state identification card to the licensed dispensing organization specified in his or her application. The dispensing organization shall verify the person's status as an Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant through the Department of Public Health's online verification system.

(b) The Opioid Alternative Pilot Program shall be limited to participation by Illinois residents age 21 and older.

(c) The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall specify that all licensed dispensing organizations participating in the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program use the Illinois Cannabis Tracking System. The Department of Public Health shall establish and maintain the Illinois Cannabis Tracking System. The Illinois Cannabis Tracking System shall be used to collect information about all persons participating in the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program and shall be used to track the sale of medical cannabis for verification purposes.

Each dispensing organization shall retain a copy of the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program certification and other identifying information as required by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Department of Public Health, and the Illinois State Police in the Illinois Cannabis Tracking System.

The Illinois Cannabis Tracking System shall be accessible to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Department of Public Health, Department of Agriculture, and the Illinois State Police.

The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation in collaboration with the Department of Public Health shall specify the data requirements for the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program by licensed dispensing organizations; including, but not limited to, the participant's full legal name, address, and date of birth, date on which the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program certification was issued, length of the participation in the Program, including the start and end date to purchase medical cannabis, name of the issuing physician, copy of the participant's current driver's license or State identification card, and phone number.

The Illinois Cannabis Tracking System shall provide verification of a person's participation in the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program for law enforcement at any time and on any day.

(d) The certification for Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant must be issued by a certifying health care professional who is licensed to practice in Illinois under the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Nurse Practice Act, or the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987 and who is in good standing and holds a controlled substances license under Article III of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.

The certification for an Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant shall be written within 90 days before the participant submits his or her certification to the dispensing organization.

The written certification uploaded to the Illinois Cannabis Tracking System shall be accessible to the Department of Public Health.

(e) Upon verification of the individual's valid certification and enrollment in the Illinois Cannabis Tracking System, the dispensing organization may dispense the medical cannabis, in amounts not exceeding 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis per 14-day period to the participant at the participant's specified dispensary for no more than 90 days.

An Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant shall not be registered as a medical cannabis cardholder. The dispensing organization shall verify that the person is not an active registered qualifying patient prior to enrollment in the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program and each time medical cannabis is dispensed.

Upon receipt of a written certification under the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program, the Department of Public Health shall electronically forward the patient's identification information to the Prescription Monitoring Program established under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act and certify that the individual is permitted to engage in the medical use of cannabis. For the purposes of patient care, the Prescription Monitoring Program shall make a notation on the person's prescription record stating that the person has a written certification under the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program and is a patient who is entitled to the lawful medical use of cannabis. If the person is no longer authorized to engage in the medical use of cannabis, the Department of Public Health shall notify the Prescription Monitoring Program and Department of Human Services to remove the notation from the person's record. The Department of Human Services and the Prescription Monitoring Program shall establish a system by which the information may be shared electronically. This confidential list may not be combined or linked in any manner with any other list or database except as provided in this Section.

(f) An Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant shall not be considered a qualifying patient with a debilitating medical condition under this Act and shall be provided access to medical cannabis solely for the duration of the participant's certification. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to limit or prohibit an Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant who has a debilitating medical condition from applying to the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program.

(g) A person with a provisional registration under Section 55 shall not be considered an Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant.

(h) The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Public Health shall submit emergency rulemaking to implement the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly by December 1, 2018. The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Public Health, and the Illinois State Police shall utilize emergency purchase authority for 12 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly for the purpose of implementing the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly.

(i) Dispensing organizations are not authorized to dispense medical cannabis to Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participants until administrative rules are approved by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and go into effect.

(j) The provisions of this Section are inoperative on and after July 1, 2025.

(Source: P.A. 101-363, eff. 8-9-19; 102-16, eff. 6-17-21.)

(410 ILCS 130/70)

Sec. 70. Registry identification cards.

(a) A registered qualifying patient or designated caregiver must keep their registry identification card in his or her possession at all times when engaging in the medical use of cannabis.

(b) Registry identification cards shall contain the following:

(1) the name of the cardholder;

(2) a designation of whether the cardholder is a designated caregiver or qualifying patient;

(3) the date of issuance and expiration date of the registry identification card;

(4) a random alphanumeric identification number that is unique to the cardholder;

(5) if the cardholder is a designated caregiver, the random alphanumeric identification number of the registered qualifying patient the designated caregiver is receiving the registry identification card to assist; and

(6) a photograph of the cardholder, if required by Department of Public Health rules.

(c) To maintain a valid registration identification card, a registered qualifying patient and caregiver must annually resubmit, at least 45 days prior to the expiration date stated on the registry identification card, a completed renewal application, renewal fee, and accompanying documentation as described in Department of Public Health rules. The Department of Public Health shall send a notification to a registered qualifying patient or registered designated caregiver 90 days prior to the expiration of the registered qualifying patient's or registered designated caregiver's identification card. If the Department of Public Health fails to grant or deny a renewal application received in accordance with this Section, then the renewal is deemed granted and the registered qualifying patient or registered designated caregiver may continue to use the expired identification card until the Department of Public Health denies the renewal or issues a new identification card.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the expiration date is 3 years after the date of issuance.

(e) The Department of Public Health may electronically store in the card any or all of the information listed in subsection (b), along with the address and date of birth of the cardholder and the qualifying patient's designated dispensary organization, to allow it to be read by law enforcement agents.

(Source: P.A. 98-122, eff. 1-1-14; 99-519, eff. 6-30-16.)

(410 ILCS 130/75)

Sec. 75. Notifications to Department of Public Health and responses; civil penalty.

(a) The following notifications and Department of Public Health responses are required:

(1) A registered qualifying patient shall notify the Department of Public Health of any change in his or her name or address, or if the registered qualifying patient ceases to have his or her debilitating medical condition, within 10 days of the change.

(2) A registered designated caregiver shall notify the Department of Public Health of any change in his or her name or address, or if the designated caregiver becomes aware the registered qualifying patient passed away, within 10 days of the change.

(3) Before a registered qualifying patient changes his or her designated caregiver, the qualifying patient must notify the Department of Public Health.

(4) If a cardholder loses his or her registry identification card, he or she shall notify the Department within 10 days of becoming aware the card has been lost.

(b) When a cardholder notifies the Department of Public Health of items listed in subsection (a), but remains eligible under this Act, the Department of Public Health shall issue the cardholder a new registry identification card with a new random alphanumeric identification number within 15 business days of receiving the updated information and a fee as specified in Department of Public Health rules. If the person notifying the Department of Public Health is a registered qualifying patient, the Department shall also issue his or her registered designated caregiver, if any, a new registry identification card within 15 business days of receiving the updated information.

(c) If a registered qualifying patient ceases to be a registered qualifying patient or changes his or her registered designated caregiver, the Department of Public Health shall promptly notify the designated caregiver. The registered designated caregiver's protections under this Act as to that qualifying patient shall expire 15 days after notification by the Department.

(d) A cardholder who fails to make a notification to the Department of Public Health that is required by this Section is subject to a civil infraction, punishable by a penalty of no more than $150.

(e) (Blank). A registered qualifying patient shall notify the Department of Public Health of any change to his or her designated registered dispensing organization. The Department of Public Health shall provide for immediate changes of a registered qualifying patient's designated registered dispensing organization. Registered dispensing organizations must comply with all requirements of this Act.

(f) If the registered qualifying patient's certifying health care professional notifies the Department in writing that either the registered qualifying patient has ceased to suffer from a debilitating medical condition, that the bona fide health care professional-patient relationship has terminated, or that continued use of medical cannabis would result in contraindication with the patient's other medication, the card shall become null and void. However, the registered qualifying patient shall have 15 days to destroy his or her remaining medical cannabis and related paraphernalia.

(Source: P.A. 101-363, eff. 8-9-19; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.