99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB2958

 

Introduced 2/18/2016, by Sen. Antonio Muņoz

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
720 ILCS 550/15.2

    Amends the Cannabis Control Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the industrial hemp pilot program.


LRB099 18658 RLC 43040 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2958LRB099 18658 RLC 43040 b

1    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Cannabis Control Act is amended by changing
5Section 15.2 as follows:
 
6    (720 ILCS 550/15.2)
7    Sec. 15.2. Industrial hemp pilot program.
8    (a) Pursuant to Section 7606 of the the federal
9Agricultural Act of 2014, an institution of higher education or
10the Department of Agriculture may grow or cultivate industrial
11hemp if:
12        (1) the industrial hemp is grown or cultivated for
13    purposes of research conducted under an agricultural pilot
14    program or other agricultural or academic research;
15        (2) the pilot program studies the growth, cultivation,
16    or marketing of industrial hemp; and
17        (3) any site used for the growing or cultivating of
18    industrial hemp is certified by, and registered with, the
19    Department of Agriculture.
20    (b) Before conducting industrial hemp research, an
21institution of higher education shall notify the Department of
22Agriculture and any local law enforcement agency in writing.
23    (c) The institution of higher education shall provide

 

 

SB2958- 2 -LRB099 18658 RLC 43040 b

1quarterly reports and an annual report to the Department of
2Agriculture on the research and the research program shall be
3subject to random inspection by the Department of Agriculture,
4the Department of State Police, or local law enforcement
5agencies. The institution of higher education shall submit the
6annual report to the Department of Agriculture on or before
7October 1.
8    (d) The Department of Agriculture may adopt rules to
9implement this Section. In order to provide for the expeditious
10and timely implementation of this Section, upon notification by
11an institution of higher education that the institution wishes
12to engage in the growth or cultivation of industrial hemp for
13agricultural research purposes, the Department of Agriculture
14may adopt emergency rules under Section 5-45 of the Illinois
15Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of
16this Section. If changes to the rules are required to comply
17with federal rules, the Department of Agriculture may adopt
18peremptory rules as necessary to comply with changes to
19corresponding federal rules. All other rules that the
20Department of Agriculture deems necessary to adopt in
21connection with this Section must proceed through the ordinary
22rule-making process. The adoption of emergency rules
23authorized by this Section shall be deemed to be necessary for
24the public interest, safety, and welfare.
25    The Department of Agriculture may determine, by rule, the
26duration of an institution of higher education's pilot program

 

 

SB2958- 3 -LRB099 18658 RLC 43040 b

1or industrial hemp research. If the institution of higher
2education has not completed its program within the timeframe
3established by rule, then the Department of Agriculture may
4grant an extension to the pilot program if unanticipated
5circumstances arose that impacted the program.
6    (e) As used in this Section:
7    "Industrial hemp" means cannabis sativa L. having no more
8than 0.3% total THC available, upon heating, or maximum delta-9
9tetrahydrocannabinol content possible.
10    "Institution of higher education" means a State
11institution of higher education that offers a 4-year degree in
12agricultural science.
13(Source: P.A. 98-1072, eff. 1-1-15; 99-78, eff. 7-20-15.)