IllinoisIllinois would direct cannabis tax growth to cash payments
Starting July 1, 2027, Illinois would direct monthly cannabis tax revenue growth to a cash payment program, with payments limited to money appropriated for it.
What it does
The Illinois Freedom Program would pay eligible people who were disproportionately affected by historical cannabis enforcement, but only with money appropriated from its fund.
Starting in August 2027, the state would move monthly cannabis tax revenue growth above the base-year amount into a fund for cash payments, while protecting R3 grantees’ base-year distributions.
Argument forEligible people could receive direct cash payments, while R3 area grantees’ cannabis tax revenue distributions stay at or above base-year levels.
Argument againstEven with R3 grantee funding protected at base-year levels, shifting extra revenue to cash payments could leave less for other R3 work.
More detail
The Illinois Freedom Program would issue direct cash payments. Payments would go to eligible people disproportionately affected by historical cannabis enforcement; the text does not give the eligibility criteria. The program may use only money appropriated from the Illinois Freedom Fund. The bill would take effect July 1, 2027.
The state would transfer monthly cannabis tax revenue growth into the Illinois Freedom Fund. The transfer would come from the Criminal Justice Information Projects Fund and equal any monthly deposit increase over the same month in the base year. The fund’s money could be used only for the direct cash payments. The program could not reduce R3 area grantees’ cannabis tax revenue distributions below base-year levels or delay those distributions. Transfers would start August 1, 2027, and compare each month’s deposit with the same month in the base year, July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Oct 19Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Anne StavaLatest
- Oct 8Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Sonya M. Harper
- Oct 7Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Kevin John Olickal
- Oct 7Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Lilian Jiménez
- Oct 7Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Norma Hernandez
- Oct 7Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Theresa Mah
- Sep 17Filed with the Clerk by Rep. La Shawn K. FordIntroduced
Criminal Justice