104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4286
 
Introduced 1/14/2026, by Rep. Sonya M. Harper
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
410 ILCS 705/10-45
    Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. In provisions regarding the Cannabis Equity Commission, adds to the ex officio membership the chairperson of the Agriculture Committee of the Senate, or his or her designee, who shall serve as co-chair of the Commission, and the chairperson of the Agriculture and Conservation Committee of the House of Representatives, or his or her designee, who shall serve as co-chair of the Commission, as well as members of the Illinois Black Caucus and the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus (previously, the Governor, or his or her designee, served as chair of the Commission). Further adds to the membership of the Commission one individual who is a journalist and representative of the news media with work experience covering the national and local cannabis market as well as issues related to disproportionately impacted areas. Requires appointment by the co-chairs of the Commission within 90 days after a vacancy in membership under certain provisions. Provides that the Commission shall issue an annual report to the General Assembly that includes, without limitation, an evaluation of the current market, data regarding social equity operations in the State, community reinvestment data from the Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) Program, and tax revenues, as well as recommendations for policy changes that focus on supporting social equity applicants, operators, and communities harmed the most by the failed war on drugs.


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A BILL FOR
 
HB4286LRB104 16996 BDA 30410 b

1    AN ACT concerning health.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act is amended 
5by changing Section 10-45 as follows:
 
6    (410 ILCS 705/10-45)
7    Sec. 10-45. Cannabis Equity Commission.
8    (a) The Cannabis Equity Commission is created and shall 
9reflect the diversity of the State of Illinois, including 
10geographic, racial, and ethnic diversity. The Cannabis Equity 
11Commission shall be responsible for the following:
12        (1) Ensuring that equity goals in the Illinois 
13    cannabis industry, as stated in Section 10-40, are met.
14        (2) Tracking and analyzing minorities in the 
15    marketplace.
16        (3) Ensuring that revenue is being invested properly 
17    into R3 areas under Section 10-40.
18        (4) Recommending changes to make the law more 
19    equitable to communities harmed the most by the war on 
20    drugs.
21        (5) Create standards to protect true social equity 
22    applicants from predatory businesses.
23    (b) The Cannabis Equity Commission's ex officio members 
 
 
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1shall, within 4 months after March 23, 2021 (the effective 
2date of Public Act 101-658), convene the Commission to appoint 
3a full Cannabis Equity Commission and oversee, provide 
4guidance to, and develop an administrative structure for the 
5Cannabis Equity Commission. The ex officio members are:
6        (1) The Governor, or his or her designee, who shall 
7    serve as chair.
8        (2) The Attorney General, or his or her designee.
9        (3) The Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, 
10    or his or her designee.
11        (4) The Director of Public Health, or his or her 
12    designee.
13        (5) The Director of Corrections, or his or her 
14    designee.
15        (6) The Secretary of Financial and Professional 
16    Regulation, or his or her designee.
17        (7) The Director of Agriculture, or his or her 
18    designee.
19        (8) The Executive Director of the Illinois Criminal 
20    Justice Information Authority, or his or her designee.
21        (9) The Secretary of Human Services, or his or her 
22    designee.
23        (10) A member of the Senate, designated by the 
24    President of the Senate.
25        (11) A member of the House of Representatives, 
26    designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
 
 
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1        (12) A member of the Senate, designated by the 
2    Minority Leader of the Senate.
3        (13) A member of the House of Representatives, 
4    designated by the Minority Leader of the House of 
5    Representatives.
6        (14) The chairperson of the Agriculture Committee of 
7    the Senate, or his or her designee, who shall serve as 
8    co-chair.
9        (15) The chairperson of the Agriculture and 
10    Conservation Committee of the House of Representatives, or 
11    his or her designee, who shall serve as co-chair.
12        (16) A member of the Senate who is a member of the 
13    Illinois Black Caucus, designated by the Illinois Black 
14    Caucus Senate Chair. 
15        (17) A member of the House of Representatives who is a 
16    member of the Illinois Black Caucus, designated by the 
17    Illinois Black Caucus House Chair. 
18        (18) A member of the Senate who is a member of the 
19    Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus, designated by the 
20    Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Co-Chair who is a 
21    member of the Senate. 
22        (19) A member of the House of Representatives who is a 
23    member of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus, 
24    designated by the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus 
25    Co-Chair who is a member of the House of Representatives. 
26    (c) Within 90 days after the ex officio members convene, 
 
 
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1as well as within 90 days after a vacancy in membership under 
2this subsection, the following members shall be appointed to 
3the Commission by the co-chairs chair:
4        (1) Four community-based providers or community 
5    development organization representatives who provide 
6    services to treat violence and address the social 
7    determinants of health, or promote community investment, 
8    including, but not limited to, services such as job 
9    placement and training, educational services, workforce 
10    development programming, and wealth building. No more than 
11    2 community-based organization representatives shall work 
12    primarily in Cook County. At least one of the 
13    community-based providers shall have expertise in 
14    providing services to an immigrant population.
15        (2) Two experts in the field of violence reduction.
16        (3) One male who has previously been incarcerated and 
17    is over the age of 24 at the time of appointment.
18        (4) One female who has previously been incarcerated 
19    and is over the age of 24 at the time of appointment.
20        (5) Two individuals who have previously been 
21    incarcerated and are between the ages of 17 and 24 at the 
22    time of appointment.
23        (6) One individual who is a journalist and 
24    representative of the news media with work experience 
25    covering the national and local cannabis market as well as 
26    issues related to disproportionately impacted areas.
 
 
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1    As used in this subsection (c), "an individual who has 
2been previously incarcerated" has the same meaning as defined 
3in paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of Section 10-40.
4    (d) The Cannabis Equity Commission shall issue a report to 
5the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2028, and 
6annually thereafter, that includes, without limitation, an 
7evaluation of the current market, data regarding social equity 
8operations in the State, community reinvestment data from the 
9Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) Program, and tax revenues, 
10as well as recommendations for policy changes that focus on 
11supporting social equity applicants, operators, and 
12communities harmed the most by the failed war on drugs.
13(Source: P.A. 104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)