104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2343 Introduced , by Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Agriculture may share with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity any licensee information necessary to support the administration of social equity programming. Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Adds a definition. In various provisions, adds Social Equity Lottery Licensees to provisions that include Social Equity Applicants. Provides that the Cannabis Business Development Fund shall be exclusively used for certain purposes, to include providing financial assistance to support lending to, or private investment in, Qualified Social Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or to facilitate access to the facilities needed to commence operations as a cannabis business establishment. In provisions regarding loans and grants to Social Equity Applicants, adds financial assistance to provisions that include loans and grants. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has the power to enter into financial intermediary agreements to facilitate lending to or investment in Qualified Social Equity Applicants, Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or their subsidiaries or affiliates, to ensure the availability of facilities necessary to operate a cannabis business establishment. Provides that certain loans made shall contain terms and provisions with respect to forgiveness. Provides that those loans also may be distributed by lot if the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity determines that the amount of funding available is insufficient. Provides that, to the extent registration with the federal System for Award Management requires a grant applicant to certify compliance with all federal laws, the grant applicants shall not be required to register for a unique entity identifier through the federal System for Award Management. Makes other and conforming changes. LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2343 Introduced , by Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index See Index Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Agriculture may share with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity any licensee information necessary to support the administration of social equity programming. Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Adds a definition. In various provisions, adds Social Equity Lottery Licensees to provisions that include Social Equity Applicants. Provides that the Cannabis Business Development Fund shall be exclusively used for certain purposes, to include providing financial assistance to support lending to, or private investment in, Qualified Social Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or to facilitate access to the facilities needed to commence operations as a cannabis business establishment. In provisions regarding loans and grants to Social Equity Applicants, adds financial assistance to provisions that include loans and grants. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has the power to enter into financial intermediary agreements to facilitate lending to or investment in Qualified Social Equity Applicants, Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or their subsidiaries or affiliates, to ensure the availability of facilities necessary to operate a cannabis business establishment. Provides that certain loans made shall contain terms and provisions with respect to forgiveness. Provides that those loans also may be distributed by lot if the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity determines that the amount of funding available is insufficient. Provides that, to the extent registration with the federal System for Award Management requires a grant applicant to certify compliance with all federal laws, the grant applicants shall not be required to register for a unique entity identifier through the federal System for Award Management. Makes other and conforming changes. LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2343 Introduced , by Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index See Index See Index Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Agriculture may share with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity any licensee information necessary to support the administration of social equity programming. Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Adds a definition. In various provisions, adds Social Equity Lottery Licensees to provisions that include Social Equity Applicants. Provides that the Cannabis Business Development Fund shall be exclusively used for certain purposes, to include providing financial assistance to support lending to, or private investment in, Qualified Social Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or to facilitate access to the facilities needed to commence operations as a cannabis business establishment. In provisions regarding loans and grants to Social Equity Applicants, adds financial assistance to provisions that include loans and grants. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has the power to enter into financial intermediary agreements to facilitate lending to or investment in Qualified Social Equity Applicants, Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or their subsidiaries or affiliates, to ensure the availability of facilities necessary to operate a cannabis business establishment. Provides that certain loans made shall contain terms and provisions with respect to forgiveness. Provides that those loans also may be distributed by lot if the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity determines that the amount of funding available is insufficient. Provides that, to the extent registration with the federal System for Award Management requires a grant applicant to certify compliance with all federal laws, the grant applicants shall not be required to register for a unique entity identifier through the federal System for Award Management. Makes other and conforming changes. LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b A BILL FOR HB2343LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 AN ACT concerning health. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis 5 Program Act is amended by changing Section 145 as follows: 6 (410 ILCS 130/145) 7 Sec. 145. Confidentiality. 8 (a) The following information received and records kept by 9 the Department of Public Health, Department of Financial and 10 Professional Regulation, Department of Agriculture, or 11 Illinois State Police for purposes of administering this Act 12 are subject to all applicable federal privacy laws, 13 confidential, and exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, 14 and not subject to disclosure to any individual or public or 15 private entity, except as necessary for authorized employees 16 of those authorized agencies to perform official duties under 17 this Act and the following information received and records 18 kept by Department of Public Health, Department of 19 Agriculture, Department of Financial and Professional 20 Regulation, and Illinois State Police, excluding any existing 21 or non-existing Illinois or national criminal history record 22 information as defined in subsection (d), may be disclosed to 23 each other upon request: 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2343 Introduced , by Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index See Index See Index Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Agriculture may share with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity any licensee information necessary to support the administration of social equity programming. Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Adds a definition. In various provisions, adds Social Equity Lottery Licensees to provisions that include Social Equity Applicants. Provides that the Cannabis Business Development Fund shall be exclusively used for certain purposes, to include providing financial assistance to support lending to, or private investment in, Qualified Social Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or to facilitate access to the facilities needed to commence operations as a cannabis business establishment. In provisions regarding loans and grants to Social Equity Applicants, adds financial assistance to provisions that include loans and grants. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has the power to enter into financial intermediary agreements to facilitate lending to or investment in Qualified Social Equity Applicants, Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or their subsidiaries or affiliates, to ensure the availability of facilities necessary to operate a cannabis business establishment. Provides that certain loans made shall contain terms and provisions with respect to forgiveness. Provides that those loans also may be distributed by lot if the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity determines that the amount of funding available is insufficient. Provides that, to the extent registration with the federal System for Award Management requires a grant applicant to certify compliance with all federal laws, the grant applicants shall not be required to register for a unique entity identifier through the federal System for Award Management. Makes other and conforming changes. LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b A BILL FOR See Index LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 2 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 2 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 2 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 (1) Applications and renewals, their contents, and 2 supporting information submitted by qualifying patients 3 and designated caregivers, including information regarding 4 their designated caregivers and certifying health care 5 professionals. 6 (2) Applications and renewals, their contents, and 7 supporting information submitted by or on behalf of 8 cultivation centers and dispensing organizations in 9 compliance with this Act, including their physical 10 addresses. This does not preclude the release of ownership 11 information of cannabis business establishment licenses. 12 (3) The individual names and other information 13 identifying persons to whom the Department of Public 14 Health has issued registry identification cards. 15 (4) Any dispensing information required to be kept 16 under Section 135, Section 150, or Department of Public 17 Health, Department of Agriculture, or Department of 18 Financial and Professional Regulation rules shall identify 19 cardholders and registered cultivation centers by their 20 registry identification numbers and medical cannabis 21 dispensing organizations by their registration number and 22 not contain names or other personally identifying 23 information. 24 (5) All medical records provided to the Department of 25 Public Health in connection with an application for a 26 registry card. HB2343 - 2 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 3 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 3 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 3 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 (b) Nothing in this Section precludes the following: 2 (1) Department of Agriculture, Department of Financial 3 and Professional Regulation, or Public Health employees 4 may notify law enforcement about falsified or fraudulent 5 information submitted to the Departments if the employee 6 who suspects that falsified or fraudulent information has 7 been submitted conferred with his or her supervisor and 8 both agree that circumstances exist that warrant 9 reporting. 10 (2) If the employee conferred with his or her 11 supervisor and both agree that circumstances exist that 12 warrant reporting, Department of Public Health employees 13 may notify the Department of Financial and Professional 14 Regulation if there is reasonable cause to believe a 15 certifying health care professional: 16 (A) issued a written certification without a bona 17 fide health care professional-patient relationship 18 under this Act; 19 (B) issued a written certification to a person who 20 was not under the certifying health care 21 professional's care for the debilitating medical 22 condition; or 23 (C) failed to abide by the acceptable and 24 prevailing standard of care when evaluating a 25 patient's medical condition. 26 (3) The Department of Public Health, Department of HB2343 - 3 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 4 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 4 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 4 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 Agriculture, and Department of Financial and Professional 2 Regulation may notify State or local law enforcement about 3 apparent criminal violations of this Act if the employee 4 who suspects the offense has conferred with his or her 5 supervisor and both agree that circumstances exist that 6 warrant reporting. 7 (4) Medical cannabis cultivation center agents and 8 medical cannabis dispensing organizations may notify the 9 Department of Public Health, Department of Financial and 10 Professional Regulation, or Department of Agriculture of a 11 suspected violation or attempted violation of this Act or 12 the rules issued under it. 13 (5) Each Department may verify registry identification 14 cards under Section 150. 15 (6) The submission of the report to the General 16 Assembly under Section 160. 17 (b-5) Each Department responsible for licensure under this 18 Act shall publish on the Department's website a list of the 19 ownership information of cannabis business establishment 20 licensees under the Department's jurisdiction. The list shall 21 include, but shall not be limited to, the name of the person or 22 entity holding each cannabis business establishment license 23 and the address at which the entity is operating under this 24 Act. This list shall be published and updated monthly. 25 (c) Except for any ownership information released pursuant 26 to subsection (b-5) or as otherwise authorized or required by HB2343 - 4 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 5 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 5 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 5 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 law, it is a Class B misdemeanor with a $1,000 fine for any 2 person, including an employee or official of the Department of 3 Public Health, Department of Financial and Professional 4 Regulation, or Department of Agriculture or another State 5 agency or local government, to breach the confidentiality of 6 information obtained under this Act. 7 (d) The Department of Public Health, the Department of 8 Agriculture, the Illinois State Police, and the Department of 9 Financial and Professional Regulation shall not share or 10 disclose any existing or non-existing Illinois or national 11 criminal history record information. For the purposes of this 12 Section, "any existing or non-existing Illinois or national 13 criminal history record information" means any Illinois or 14 national criminal history record information, including but 15 not limited to the lack of or non-existence of these records. 16 (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, 17 the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and 18 the Department of Agriculture may share with the Department of 19 Commerce and Economic Opportunity any licensee information 20 necessary to support the administration of social equity 21 programming. 22 (Source: P.A. 101-363, eff. 8-9-19; 102-98, eff. 7-15-21; 23 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.) 24 Section 10. The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act is amended 25 by changing Sections 1-10, 7-10, 7-15, and 55-30 as follows: HB2343 - 5 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 6 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 6 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 6 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 (410 ILCS 705/1-10) 2 Sec. 1-10. Definitions. In this Act: 3 "Adult Use Cultivation Center License" means a license 4 issued by the Department of Agriculture that permits a person 5 to act as a cultivation center under this Act and any 6 administrative rule made in furtherance of this Act. 7 "Adult Use Dispensing Organization License" means a 8 license issued by the Department of Financial and Professional 9 Regulation that permits a person to act as a dispensing 10 organization under this Act and any administrative rule made 11 in furtherance of this Act. 12 "Advertise" means to engage in promotional activities 13 including, but not limited to: newspaper, radio, Internet and 14 electronic media, and television advertising; the distribution 15 of fliers and circulars; billboard advertising; and the 16 display of window and interior signs. "Advertise" does not 17 mean exterior signage displaying only the name of the licensed 18 cannabis business establishment. 19 "Application points" means the number of points a 20 Dispensary Applicant receives on an application for a 21 Conditional Adult Use Dispensing Organization License. 22 "BLS Region" means a region in Illinois used by the United 23 States Bureau of Labor Statistics to gather and categorize 24 certain employment and wage data. The 17 such regions in 25 Illinois are: Bloomington, Cape Girardeau, Carbondale-Marion, HB2343 - 6 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 7 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 7 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 7 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 Champaign-Urbana, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Danville, 2 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Decatur, Kankakee, Peoria, 3 Rockford, St. Louis, Springfield, Northwest Illinois 4 nonmetropolitan area, West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan 5 area, East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area, and South 6 Illinois nonmetropolitan area. 7 "By lot" means a randomized method of choosing between 2 8 or more Eligible Tied Applicants or 2 or more Qualifying 9 Applicants. 10 "Cannabis" means marijuana, hashish, and other substances 11 that are identified as including any parts of the plant 12 Cannabis sativa and including derivatives or subspecies, such 13 as indica, of all strains of cannabis, whether growing or not; 14 the seeds thereof, the resin extracted from any part of the 15 plant; and any compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, 16 mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds, or resin, 17 including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and all other naturally 18 produced cannabinol derivatives, whether produced directly or 19 indirectly by extraction; however, "cannabis" does not include 20 the mature stalks of the plant, fiber produced from the 21 stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of the plant, any other 22 compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or 23 preparation of the mature stalks (except the resin extracted 24 from it), fiber, oil or cake, or the sterilized seed of the 25 plant that is incapable of germination. "Cannabis" does not 26 include industrial hemp as defined and authorized under the HB2343 - 7 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 8 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 8 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 8 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 Industrial Hemp Act. "Cannabis" also means cannabis flower, 2 concentrate, and cannabis-infused products. 3 "Cannabis business establishment" means a cultivation 4 center, craft grower, processing organization, infuser 5 organization, dispensing organization, or transporting 6 organization. 7 "Cannabis concentrate" means a product derived from 8 cannabis that is produced by extracting cannabinoids, 9 including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), from the plant through 10 the use of propylene glycol, glycerin, butter, olive oil, or 11 other typical cooking fats; water, ice, or dry ice; or butane, 12 propane, CO2, ethanol, or isopropanol and with the intended 13 use of smoking or making a cannabis-infused product. The use 14 of any other solvent is expressly prohibited unless and until 15 it is approved by the Department of Agriculture. 16 "Cannabis container" means a sealed or resealable, 17 traceable, container, or package used for the purpose of 18 containment of cannabis or cannabis-infused product during 19 transportation. 20 "Cannabis flower" means marijuana, hashish, and other 21 substances that are identified as including any parts of the 22 plant Cannabis sativa and including derivatives or subspecies, 23 such as indica, of all strains of cannabis; including raw 24 kief, leaves, and buds, but not resin that has been extracted 25 from any part of such plant; nor any compound, manufacture, 26 salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its HB2343 - 8 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 9 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 9 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 9 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 seeds, or resin. 2 "Cannabis-infused product" means a beverage, food, oil, 3 ointment, tincture, topical formulation, or another product 4 containing cannabis or cannabis concentrate that is not 5 intended to be smoked. 6 "Cannabis paraphernalia" means equipment, products, or 7 materials intended to be used for planting, propagating, 8 cultivating, growing, harvesting, manufacturing, producing, 9 processing, preparing, testing, analyzing, packaging, 10 repackaging, storing, containing, concealing, ingesting, or 11 otherwise introducing cannabis into the human body. 12 "Cannabis plant monitoring system" or "plant monitoring 13 system" means a system that includes, but is not limited to, 14 testing and data collection established and maintained by the 15 cultivation center, craft grower, or processing organization 16 and that is available to the Department of Revenue, the 17 Department of Agriculture, the Department of Financial and 18 Professional Regulation, and the Illinois State Police for the 19 purposes of documenting each cannabis plant and monitoring 20 plant development throughout the life cycle of a cannabis 21 plant cultivated for the intended use by a customer from seed 22 planting to final packaging. 23 "Cannabis testing facility" means an entity registered by 24 the Department of Agriculture to test cannabis for potency and 25 contaminants. 26 "Clone" means a plant section from a female cannabis plant HB2343 - 9 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 10 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 10 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 10 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 not yet rootbound, growing in a water solution or other 2 propagation matrix, that is capable of developing into a new 3 plant. 4 "Community College Cannabis Vocational Training Pilot 5 Program faculty participant" means a person who is 21 years of 6 age or older, licensed by the Department of Agriculture, and 7 is employed or contracted by an Illinois community college to 8 provide student instruction using cannabis plants at an 9 Illinois Community College. 10 "Community College Cannabis Vocational Training Pilot 11 Program faculty participant Agent Identification Card" means a 12 document issued by the Department of Agriculture that 13 identifies a person as a Community College Cannabis Vocational 14 Training Pilot Program faculty participant. 15 "Conditional Adult Use Dispensing Organization License" 16 means a contingent license awarded to applicants for an Adult 17 Use Dispensing Organization License that reserves the right to 18 an Adult Use Dispensing Organization License if the applicant 19 meets certain conditions described in this Act, but does not 20 entitle the recipient to begin purchasing or selling cannabis 21 or cannabis-infused products. 22 "Conditional Adult Use Cultivation Center License" means a 23 license awarded to top-scoring applicants for an Adult Use 24 Cultivation Center License that reserves the right to an Adult 25 Use Cultivation Center License if the applicant meets certain 26 conditions as determined by the Department of Agriculture by HB2343 - 10 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 11 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 11 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 11 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 rule, but does not entitle the recipient to begin growing, 2 processing, or selling cannabis or cannabis-infused products. 3 "Craft grower" means a facility operated by an 4 organization or business that is licensed by the Department of 5 Agriculture to cultivate, dry, cure, and package cannabis and 6 perform other necessary activities to make cannabis available 7 for sale at a dispensing organization or use at a processing 8 organization. A craft grower may contain up to 5,000 square 9 feet of canopy space on its premises for plants in the 10 flowering state. The Department of Agriculture may authorize 11 an increase or decrease of flowering stage cultivation space 12 in increments of 3,000 square feet by rule based on market 13 need, craft grower capacity, and the licensee's history of 14 compliance or noncompliance, with a maximum space of 14,000 15 square feet for cultivating plants in the flowering stage, 16 which must be cultivated in all stages of growth in an enclosed 17 and secure area. A craft grower may share premises with a 18 processing organization or a dispensing organization, or both, 19 provided each licensee stores currency and cannabis or 20 cannabis-infused products in a separate secured vault to which 21 the other licensee does not have access or all licensees 22 sharing a vault share more than 50% of the same ownership. 23 "Craft grower agent" means a principal officer, board 24 member, employee, or other agent of a craft grower who is 21 25 years of age or older. 26 "Craft Grower Agent Identification Card" means a document HB2343 - 11 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 12 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 12 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 12 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 issued by the Department of Agriculture that identifies a 2 person as a craft grower agent. 3 "Cultivation center" means a facility operated by an 4 organization or business that is licensed by the Department of 5 Agriculture to cultivate, process, transport (unless otherwise 6 limited by this Act), and perform other necessary activities 7 to provide cannabis and cannabis-infused products to cannabis 8 business establishments. 9 "Cultivation center agent" means a principal officer, 10 board member, employee, or other agent of a cultivation center 11 who is 21 years of age or older. 12 "Cultivation Center Agent Identification Card" means a 13 document issued by the Department of Agriculture that 14 identifies a person as a cultivation center agent. 15 "Currency" means currency and coin of the United States. 16 "Dispensary" means a facility operated by a dispensing 17 organization at which activities licensed by this Act may 18 occur. 19 "Dispensary Applicant" means the Proposed Dispensing 20 Organization Name as stated on an application for a 21 Conditional Adult Use Dispensing Organization License. 22 "Dispensing organization" means a facility operated by an 23 organization or business that is licensed by the Department of 24 Financial and Professional Regulation to acquire cannabis from 25 a cultivation center, craft grower, processing organization, 26 or another dispensary for the purpose of selling or dispensing HB2343 - 12 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 13 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 13 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 13 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 cannabis, cannabis-infused products, cannabis seeds, 2 paraphernalia, or related supplies under this Act to 3 purchasers or to qualified registered medical cannabis 4 patients and caregivers. As used in this Act, "dispensing 5 organization" includes a registered medical cannabis 6 organization as defined in the Compassionate Use of Medical 7 Cannabis Program Act or its successor Act that has obtained an 8 Early Approval Adult Use Dispensing Organization License. 9 "Dispensing organization agent" means a principal officer, 10 employee, or agent of a dispensing organization who is 21 11 years of age or older. 12 "Dispensing organization agent identification card" means 13 a document issued by the Department of Financial and 14 Professional Regulation that identifies a person as a 15 dispensing organization agent. 16 "Disproportionately Impacted Area" means a census tract or 17 comparable geographic area that satisfies the following 18 criteria as determined by the Department of Commerce and 19 Economic Opportunity, that: 20 (1) meets at least one of the following criteria: 21 (A) the area has a poverty rate of at least 20% 22 according to the latest federal decennial census; or 23 (B) 75% or more of the children in the area 24 participate in the federal free lunch program 25 according to reported statistics from the State Board 26 of Education; or HB2343 - 13 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 14 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 14 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 14 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 (C) at least 20% of the households in the area 2 receive assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition 3 Assistance Program; or 4 (D) the area has an average unemployment rate, as 5 determined by the Illinois Department of Employment 6 Security, that is more than 120% of the national 7 unemployment average, as determined by the United 8 States Department of Labor, for a period of at least 2 9 consecutive calendar years preceding the date of the 10 application; and 11 (2) has high rates of arrest, conviction, and 12 incarceration related to the sale, possession, use, 13 cultivation, manufacture, or transport of cannabis. 14 "Early Approval Adult Use Cultivation Center License" 15 means a license that permits a medical cannabis cultivation 16 center licensed under the Compassionate Use of Medical 17 Cannabis Program Act as of the effective date of this Act to 18 begin cultivating, infusing, packaging, transporting (unless 19 otherwise provided in this Act), processing, and selling 20 cannabis or cannabis-infused product to cannabis business 21 establishments for resale to purchasers as permitted by this 22 Act as of January 1, 2020. 23 "Early Approval Adult Use Dispensing Organization License" 24 means a license that permits a medical cannabis dispensing 25 organization licensed under the Compassionate Use of Medical 26 Cannabis Program Act as of the effective date of this Act to HB2343 - 14 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 15 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 15 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 15 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 begin selling cannabis or cannabis-infused product to 2 purchasers as permitted by this Act as of January 1, 2020. 3 "Early Approval Adult Use Dispensing Organization at a 4 secondary site" means a license that permits a medical 5 cannabis dispensing organization licensed under the 6 Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act as of the 7 effective date of this Act to begin selling cannabis or 8 cannabis-infused product to purchasers as permitted by this 9 Act on January 1, 2020 at a different dispensary location from 10 its existing registered medical dispensary location. 11 "Eligible Tied Applicant" means a Tied Applicant that is 12 eligible to participate in the process by which a remaining 13 available license is distributed by lot pursuant to a Tied 14 Applicant Lottery. 15 "Enclosed, locked facility" means a room, greenhouse, 16 building, or other enclosed area equipped with locks or other 17 security devices that permit access only by cannabis business 18 establishment agents working for the licensed cannabis 19 business establishment or acting pursuant to this Act to 20 cultivate, process, store, or distribute cannabis. 21 "Enclosed, locked space" means a closet, room, greenhouse, 22 building, or other enclosed area equipped with locks or other 23 security devices that permit access only by authorized 24 individuals under this Act. "Enclosed, locked space" may 25 include: 26 (1) a space within a residential building that (i) is HB2343 - 15 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 16 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 16 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 16 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 the primary residence of the individual cultivating 5 or 2 fewer cannabis plants that are more than 5 inches tall and 3 (ii) includes sleeping quarters and indoor plumbing. The 4 space must only be accessible by a key or code that is 5 different from any key or code that can be used to access 6 the residential building from the exterior; or 7 (2) a structure, such as a shed or greenhouse, that 8 lies on the same plot of land as a residential building 9 that (i) includes sleeping quarters and indoor plumbing 10 and (ii) is used as a primary residence by the person 11 cultivating 5 or fewer cannabis plants that are more than 12 5 inches tall, such as a shed or greenhouse. The structure 13 must remain locked when it is unoccupied by people. 14 "Financial institution" has the same meaning as "financial 15 organization" as defined in Section 1501 of the Illinois 16 Income Tax Act, and also includes the holding companies, 17 subsidiaries, and affiliates of such financial organizations. 18 "Flowering stage" means the stage of cultivation where and 19 when a cannabis plant is cultivated to produce plant material 20 for cannabis products. This includes mature plants as follows: 21 (1) if greater than 2 stigmas are visible at each 22 internode of the plant; or 23 (2) if the cannabis plant is in an area that has been 24 intentionally deprived of light for a period of time 25 intended to produce flower buds and induce maturation, 26 from the moment the light deprivation began through the HB2343 - 16 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 17 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 17 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 17 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 remainder of the marijuana plant growth cycle. 2 "Individual" means a natural person. 3 "Infuser organization" or "infuser" means a facility 4 operated by an organization or business that is licensed by 5 the Department of Agriculture to directly incorporate cannabis 6 or cannabis concentrate into a product formulation to produce 7 a cannabis-infused product. 8 "Kief" means the resinous crystal-like trichomes that are 9 found on cannabis and that are accumulated, resulting in a 10 higher concentration of cannabinoids, untreated by heat or 11 pressure, or extracted using a solvent. 12 "Labor peace agreement" means an agreement between a 13 cannabis business establishment and any labor organization 14 recognized under the National Labor Relations Act, referred to 15 in this Act as a bona fide labor organization, that prohibits 16 labor organizations and members from engaging in picketing, 17 work stoppages, boycotts, and any other economic interference 18 with the cannabis business establishment. This agreement means 19 that the cannabis business establishment has agreed not to 20 disrupt efforts by the bona fide labor organization to 21 communicate with, and attempt to organize and represent, the 22 cannabis business establishment's employees. The agreement 23 shall provide a bona fide labor organization access at 24 reasonable times to areas in which the cannabis business 25 establishment's employees work, for the purpose of meeting 26 with employees to discuss their right to representation, HB2343 - 17 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 18 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 18 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 18 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 employment rights under State law, and terms and conditions of 2 employment. This type of agreement shall not mandate a 3 particular method of election or certification of the bona 4 fide labor organization. 5 "Limited access area" means a room or other area under the 6 control of a cannabis dispensing organization licensed under 7 this Act and upon the licensed premises where cannabis sales 8 occur with access limited to purchasers, dispensing 9 organization owners and other dispensing organization agents, 10 or service professionals conducting business with the 11 dispensing organization, or, if sales to registered qualifying 12 patients, caregivers, provisional patients, and Opioid 13 Alternative Pilot Program participants licensed pursuant to 14 the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act are also 15 permitted at the dispensary, registered qualifying patients, 16 caregivers, provisional patients, and Opioid Alternative Pilot 17 Program participants. 18 "Member of an impacted family" means an individual who has 19 a parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, or dependent, or was 20 a dependent of an individual who, prior to the effective date 21 of this Act, was arrested for, convicted of, or adjudicated 22 delinquent for any offense that is eligible for expungement 23 under this Act. 24 "Mother plant" means a cannabis plant that is cultivated 25 or maintained for the purpose of generating clones, and that 26 will not be used to produce plant material for sale to an HB2343 - 18 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 19 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 19 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 19 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 infuser or dispensing organization. 2 "Ordinary public view" means within the sight line with 3 normal visual range of a person, unassisted by visual aids, 4 from a public street or sidewalk adjacent to real property, or 5 from within an adjacent property. 6 "Ownership and control" means ownership of at least 51% of 7 the business, including corporate stock if a corporation, and 8 control over the management and day-to-day operations of the 9 business and an interest in the capital, assets, and profits 10 and losses of the business proportionate to percentage of 11 ownership. 12 "Person" means a natural individual, firm, partnership, 13 association, joint stock company, joint venture, public or 14 private corporation, limited liability company, or a receiver, 15 executor, trustee, guardian, or other representative appointed 16 by order of any court. 17 "Possession limit" means the amount of cannabis under 18 Section 10-10 that may be possessed at any one time by a person 19 21 years of age or older or who is a registered qualifying 20 medical cannabis patient or caregiver under the Compassionate 21 Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. 22 "Principal officer" includes a cannabis business 23 establishment applicant or licensed cannabis business 24 establishment's board member, owner with more than 1% interest 25 of the total cannabis business establishment or more than 5% 26 interest of the total cannabis business establishment of a HB2343 - 19 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 20 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 20 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 20 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 publicly traded company, president, vice president, secretary, 2 treasurer, partner, officer, member, manager member, or person 3 with a profit sharing, financial interest, or revenue sharing 4 arrangement. The definition includes a person with authority 5 to control the cannabis business establishment, a person who 6 assumes responsibility for the debts of the cannabis business 7 establishment and who is further defined in this Act. 8 "Primary residence" means a dwelling where a person 9 usually stays or stays more often than other locations. It may 10 be determined by, without limitation, presence, tax filings; 11 address on an Illinois driver's license, an Illinois 12 Identification Card, or an Illinois Person with a Disability 13 Identification Card; or voter registration. No person may have 14 more than one primary residence. 15 "Processing organization" or "processor" means a facility 16 operated by an organization or business that is licensed by 17 the Department of Agriculture to either extract constituent 18 chemicals or compounds to produce cannabis concentrate or 19 incorporate cannabis or cannabis concentrate into a product 20 formulation to produce a cannabis product. 21 "Processing organization agent" means a principal officer, 22 board member, employee, or agent of a processing organization. 23 "Processing organization agent identification card" means 24 a document issued by the Department of Agriculture that 25 identifies a person as a processing organization agent. 26 "Purchaser" means a person 21 years of age or older who HB2343 - 20 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 21 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 21 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 21 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 acquires cannabis for a valuable consideration. "Purchaser" 2 does not include a cardholder under the Compassionate Use of 3 Medical Cannabis Program Act. 4 "Qualifying Applicant" means an applicant that submitted 5 an application pursuant to Section 15-30 that received at 6 least 85% of 250 application points available under Section 7 15-30 as the applicant's final score and meets the definition 8 of "Social Equity Applicant" as set forth under this Section. 9 "Qualifying Social Equity Justice Involved Applicant" 10 means an applicant that submitted an application pursuant to 11 Section 15-30 that received at least 85% of 250 application 12 points available under Section 15-30 as the applicant's final 13 score and meets the criteria of either paragraph (1) or (2) of 14 the definition of "Social Equity Applicant" as set forth under 15 this Section. 16 "Qualified Social Equity Applicant" means a Social Equity 17 Applicant who has been awarded a conditional license under 18 this Act to operate a cannabis business establishment. 19 "Resided" means an individual's primary residence was 20 located within the relevant geographic area as established by 21 2 of the following: 22 (1) a signed lease agreement that includes the 23 applicant's name; 24 (2) a property deed that includes the applicant's 25 name; 26 (3) school records; HB2343 - 21 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 22 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 22 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 22 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 (4) a voter registration card; 2 (5) an Illinois driver's license, an Illinois 3 Identification Card, or an Illinois Person with a 4 Disability Identification Card; 5 (6) a paycheck stub; 6 (7) a utility bill; 7 (8) tax records; or 8 (9) any other proof of residency or other information 9 necessary to establish residence as provided by rule. 10 "Smoking" means the inhalation of smoke caused by the 11 combustion of cannabis. 12 "Social Equity Applicant" means an applicant that is an 13 Illinois resident that meets one of the following criteria: 14 (1) an applicant with at least 51% ownership and 15 control by one or more individuals who have resided for at 16 least 5 of the preceding 10 years in a Disproportionately 17 Impacted Area; 18 (2) an applicant with at least 51% ownership and 19 control by one or more individuals who: 20 (i) have been arrested for, convicted of, or 21 adjudicated delinquent for any offense that is 22 eligible for expungement under this Act; or 23 (ii) is a member of an impacted family; 24 (3) for applicants with a minimum of 10 full-time 25 employees, an applicant with at least 51% of current 26 employees who: HB2343 - 22 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 23 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 23 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 23 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 (i) currently reside in a Disproportionately 2 Impacted Area; or 3 (ii) have been arrested for, convicted of, or 4 adjudicated delinquent for any offense that is 5 eligible for expungement under this Act or member of 6 an impacted family. 7 Nothing in this Act shall be construed to preempt or limit 8 the duties of any employer under the Job Opportunities for 9 Qualified Applicants Act. Nothing in this Act shall permit an 10 employer to require an employee to disclose sealed or expunged 11 offenses, unless otherwise required by law. 12 "Social Equity Lottery Licensee" means a holder of an 13 adult-use cannabis dispensary license awarded through a 14 lottery held under subsection (c) of Section 15-35.20 of this 15 Act. 16 "Tied Applicant" means an application submitted by a 17 Dispensary Applicant pursuant to Section 15-30 that received 18 the same number of application points under Section 15-30 as 19 the Dispensary Applicant's final score as one or more 20 top-scoring applications in the same BLS Region and would have 21 been awarded a license but for the one or more other 22 top-scoring applications that received the same number of 23 application points. Each application for which a Dispensary 24 Applicant was required to pay a required application fee for 25 the application period ending January 2, 2020 shall be 26 considered an application of a separate Tied Applicant. HB2343 - 23 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 24 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 24 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 24 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 "Tied Applicant Lottery" means the process established 2 under 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1291.50 for awarding Conditional Adult 3 Use Dispensing Organization Licenses pursuant to Sections 4 15-25 and 15-30 among Eligible Tied Applicants. 5 "Tincture" means a cannabis-infused solution, typically 6 comprised of alcohol, glycerin, or vegetable oils, derived 7 either directly from the cannabis plant or from a processed 8 cannabis extract. A tincture is not an alcoholic liquor as 9 defined in the Liquor Control Act of 1934. A tincture shall 10 include a calibrated dropper or other similar device capable 11 of accurately measuring servings. 12 "Transporting organization" or "transporter" means an 13 organization or business that is licensed by the Department of 14 Agriculture to transport cannabis or cannabis-infused product 15 on behalf of a cannabis business establishment or a community 16 college licensed under the Community College Cannabis 17 Vocational Training Pilot Program. 18 "Transporting organization agent" means a principal 19 officer, board member, employee, or agent of a transporting 20 organization. 21 "Transporting organization agent identification card" 22 means a document issued by the Department of Agriculture that 23 identifies a person as a transporting organization agent. 24 "Unit of local government" means any county, city, 25 village, or incorporated town. 26 "Vegetative stage" means the stage of cultivation in which HB2343 - 24 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 25 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 25 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 25 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 a cannabis plant is propagated to produce additional cannabis 2 plants or reach a sufficient size for production. This 3 includes seedlings, clones, mothers, and other immature 4 cannabis plants as follows: 5 (1) if the cannabis plant is in an area that has not 6 been intentionally deprived of light for a period of time 7 intended to produce flower buds and induce maturation, it 8 has no more than 2 stigmas visible at each internode of the 9 cannabis plant; or 10 (2) any cannabis plant that is cultivated solely for 11 the purpose of propagating clones and is never used to 12 produce cannabis. 13 (Source: P.A. 101-27, eff. 6-25-19; 101-593, eff. 12-4-19; 14 102-98, eff. 7-15-21; 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 15 5-13-22.) 16 (410 ILCS 705/7-10) 17 Sec. 7-10. Cannabis Business Development Fund. 18 (a) There is created in the State treasury a special fund, 19 which shall be held separate and apart from all other State 20 moneys, to be known as the Cannabis Business Development Fund. 21 The Cannabis Business Development Fund shall be exclusively 22 used for the following purposes: 23 (1) to provide low-interest rate loans to Qualified 24 Social Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery 25 Licensees to pay for ordinary and necessary expenses to HB2343 - 25 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 26 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 26 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 26 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 start and operate a cannabis business establishment 2 permitted by this Act; 3 (2) to provide grants to Qualified Social Equity 4 Applicants to pay for ordinary and necessary expenses to 5 start and operate a cannabis business establishment 6 permitted by this Act; 7 (3) to compensate the Department of Commerce and 8 Economic Opportunity for any costs related to the 9 provision of low-interest loans and grants to Qualified 10 Social Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery 11 Licensees; 12 (4) to pay for outreach that may be provided or 13 targeted to attract and support Social Equity Applicants, 14 and Qualified Social Equity Applicants, and Social Equity 15 Lottery Licensees; 16 (5) to provide financial assistance to support lending 17 to, or private investment in, Qualified Social Equity 18 Applicants and Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or to 19 facilitate access to the facilities needed to commence 20 operations as a cannabis business establishment (blank); 21 (6) to conduct any study or research concerning the 22 participation of minorities, women, veterans, or people 23 with disabilities in the cannabis industry, including, 24 without limitation, barriers to such individuals entering 25 the industry as equity owners of cannabis business 26 establishments; HB2343 - 26 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 27 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 27 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 27 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 (7) (blank); and 2 (8) to assist with job training and technical 3 assistance for residents in Disproportionately Impacted 4 Areas. 5 (b) All moneys collected under Sections 15-15 and 15-20 6 for Early Approval Adult Use Dispensing Organization Licenses 7 issued before January 1, 2021 and remunerations made as a 8 result of transfers of permits awarded to Qualified Social 9 Equity Applicants shall be deposited into the Cannabis 10 Business Development Fund. 11 (c) (Blank). 12 (c-5) In addition to any other transfers that may be 13 provided for by law, on July 1, 2023, or as soon thereafter as 14 practical, the State Comptroller shall direct and the State 15 Treasurer shall transfer the sum of $40,000,000 from the 16 Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Fund to the Cannabis 17 Business Development Fund. 18 (d) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the 19 Cannabis Business Development Fund is not subject to sweeps, 20 administrative charge-backs, or any other fiscal or budgetary 21 maneuver that would in any way transfer any amounts from the 22 Cannabis Business Development Fund into any other fund of the 23 State. 24 (Source: P.A. 103-8, eff. 6-7-23.) 25 (410 ILCS 705/7-15) HB2343 - 27 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 28 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 28 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 28 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 Sec. 7-15. Loans, financial assistance, and grants to 2 Qualified Social Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery 3 Licensees. 4 (a) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity 5 shall establish grant, and loan, and financial assistance 6 programs, subject to appropriations from the Cannabis Business 7 Development Fund, for the purposes of providing financial 8 assistance, loans, grants, and technical assistance to 9 Qualified Social Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery 10 Licensees. 11 (b) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity 12 has the power to: 13 (1) provide Cannabis Social Equity loans, financial 14 assistance, and grants from appropriations from the 15 Cannabis Business Development Fund to assist Qualified 16 Social Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery 17 Licensees in gaining entry to, and successfully operating 18 in, the State's regulated cannabis marketplace; 19 (2) enter into agreements that set forth terms and 20 conditions of the financial assistance, accept funds or 21 grants, and engage in cooperation with private entities 22 and agencies of State or local government to carry out the 23 purposes of this Section; 24 (3) fix, determine, charge, and collect any premiums, 25 fees, charges, costs and expenses, including application 26 fees, commitment fees, program fees, financing charges, or HB2343 - 28 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 29 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 29 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 29 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 publication fees in connection with its activities under 2 this Section; 3 (4) coordinate assistance under the financial 4 assistance these loan programs with activities of the 5 Illinois Department of Financial and Professional 6 Regulation, the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and 7 other agencies as needed to maximize the effectiveness and 8 efficiency of this Act; 9 (5) provide staff, administration, and related support 10 required to administer this Section; 11 (6) take whatever actions are necessary or appropriate 12 to protect the State's interest in the event of 13 bankruptcy, default, foreclosure, or noncompliance with 14 the terms and conditions of financial assistance provided 15 under this Section, including the ability to recapture 16 funds if the recipient is found to be noncompliant with 17 the terms and conditions of the financial assistance 18 agreement; 19 (6.5) enter into financial intermediary agreements to 20 facilitate lending to or investment in Qualified Social 21 Equity Applicants, Social Equity Lottery Licensees, or 22 their subsidiaries or affiliates, to ensure the 23 availability of facilities necessary to operate a cannabis 24 business establishment; 25 (7) establish application, notification, contract, and 26 other forms, procedures, or rules deemed necessary and HB2343 - 29 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 30 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 30 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 30 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 appropriate; and 2 (8) utilize vendors or contract work to carry out the 3 purposes of this Act. 4 (c) Loans made under this Section: 5 (1) shall only be made if, in the Department's 6 judgment, the project furthers the goals set forth in this 7 Act; and 8 (2) shall be in such principal amount and form and 9 contain such terms and provisions with respect to 10 security, insurance, reporting, delinquency charges, 11 default remedies, forgiveness, and other matters as the 12 Department shall determine appropriate to protect the 13 public interest and to be consistent with the purposes of 14 this Section. The terms and provisions may be less than 15 required for similar loans not covered by this Section; 16 and . 17 (3) may be distributed by lot if the Department 18 determines that the amount of funding available is 19 insufficient to provide an adequate amount of funding for 20 all of the applicants eligible to receive a loan. The 21 Department may determine the number of loans available 22 based on the amount of funding available and communicate 23 the number of loans available on the loan application. The 24 Department may use competitive criteria to establish which 25 applicants are eligible to receive a grant, loan, or 26 financial assistance. HB2343 - 30 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 31 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 31 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 31 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 (d) Grants made under this Section shall be awarded on a 2 competitive and annual basis under the Grant Accountability 3 and Transparency Act. Grants made under this Section shall 4 further and promote the goals of this Act, including promotion 5 of Social Equity Applicants, Qualified Social Equity 6 Applicants, or Social Equity Lottery Licensees, job training 7 and workforce development, and technical assistance to Social 8 Equity Applicants and Social Equity Lottery Licensees. To the 9 extent registration with the federal System for Award 10 Management requires a grant applicant to certify compliance 11 with all federal laws, the grant applicants under this Section 12 shall not be required to register for a unique entity 13 identifier through the federal System for Award Management to 14 be qualified to receive a grant so long as federal law 15 prohibits the cultivation and sale of cannabis. 16 (d-5) Financial intermediary agreements to provide 17 financial assistance must further the goals set forth in this 18 Act and shall result in financing or lease costs that are 19 affordable or below market rate. 20 (e) Beginning January 1, 2021 and each year thereafter, 21 the Department shall annually report to the Governor and the 22 General Assembly on the outcomes and effectiveness of this 23 Section that shall include the following: 24 (1) the number of persons or businesses receiving 25 financial assistance under this Section; 26 (2) the amount in financial assistance awarded in the HB2343 - 31 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 32 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 32 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 32 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 aggregate, in addition to the amount of loans made that 2 are outstanding and the amount of grants awarded; 3 (3) the location of the project engaged in by the 4 person or business; and 5 (4) if applicable, the number of new jobs and other 6 forms of economic output created as a result of the 7 financial assistance. 8 (f) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity 9 shall include engagement with individuals with limited English 10 proficiency as part of its outreach provided or targeted to 11 attract and support Social Equity Applicants. 12 (Source: P.A. 101-27, eff. 6-25-19; 101-593, eff. 12-4-19.) 13 (410 ILCS 705/55-30) 14 Sec. 55-30. Confidentiality. 15 (a) Information provided by the cannabis business 16 establishment licensees or applicants to the Department of 17 Agriculture, the Department of Public Health, the Department 18 of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Department of 19 Commerce and Economic Opportunity, or other agency shall be 20 limited to information necessary for the purposes of 21 administering this Act. The information is subject to the 22 provisions and limitations contained in the Freedom of 23 Information Act and may be disclosed in accordance with 24 Section 55-65. 25 (b) The following information received and records kept by HB2343 - 32 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 33 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 33 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 33 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Public 2 Health, the Illinois State Police, and the Department of 3 Financial and Professional Regulation for purposes of 4 administering this Article are subject to all applicable 5 federal privacy laws, are confidential and exempt from 6 disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, except as 7 provided in this Act, and not subject to disclosure to any 8 individual or public or private entity, except to the 9 Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the 10 Department of Agriculture, the Department of Public Health, 11 the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the 12 Illinois State Police as necessary to perform official duties 13 under this Article and to the Attorney General as necessary to 14 enforce the provisions of this Act. The following information 15 received and kept by the Department of Financial and 16 Professional Regulation or the Department of Agriculture may 17 be disclosed to the Department of Public Health, the 18 Department of Agriculture, the Department of Revenue, the 19 Illinois State Police, the Department of Commerce and Economic 20 Opportunity, or the Attorney General upon proper request: 21 (1) Applications and renewals, their contents, and 22 supporting information submitted by or on behalf of 23 dispensing organizations, cannabis business 24 establishments, or Community College Cannabis Vocational 25 Program licensees, in compliance with this Article, 26 including their physical addresses; however, this does not HB2343 - 33 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 34 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 34 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 34 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 preclude the release of ownership information about 2 cannabis business establishment licenses, or information 3 submitted with an application required to be disclosed 4 pursuant to subsection (f); 5 (2) Any plans, procedures, policies, or other records 6 relating to cannabis business establishment security; and 7 (3) Information otherwise exempt from disclosure by 8 State or federal law. 9 Illinois or national criminal history record information, 10 or the nonexistence or lack of such information, may not be 11 disclosed by the Department of Financial and Professional 12 Regulation or the Department of Agriculture, except as 13 necessary to the Attorney General to enforce this Act. 14 (c) The name and address of a dispensing organization 15 licensed under this Act shall be subject to disclosure under 16 the Freedom of Information Act. The name and cannabis business 17 establishment address of the person or entity holding each 18 cannabis business establishment license shall be subject to 19 disclosure. 20 (d) All information collected by the Department of 21 Financial and Professional Regulation or the Department of 22 Agriculture in the course of an examination, inspection, or 23 investigation of a licensee or applicant, including, but not 24 limited to, any complaint against a licensee or applicant 25 filed with the Department of Financial and Professional 26 Regulation or the Department of Agriculture and information HB2343 - 34 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 35 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 35 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 35 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 collected to investigate any such complaint, shall be 2 maintained for the confidential use of the Department of 3 Financial and Professional Regulation or the Department of 4 Agriculture and shall not be disclosed, except as otherwise 5 provided in this Act. A formal complaint against a licensee by 6 the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation or the 7 Department of Agriculture or any disciplinary order issued by 8 the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation or the 9 Department of Agriculture against a licensee or applicant 10 shall be a public record, except as otherwise provided by law. 11 Complaints from consumers or members of the general public 12 received regarding a specific, named licensee or complaints 13 regarding conduct by unlicensed entities shall be subject to 14 disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. 15 (e) The Department of Agriculture, the Illinois State 16 Police, and the Department of Financial and Professional 17 Regulation shall not share or disclose any Illinois or 18 national criminal history record information, or the 19 nonexistence or lack of such information, to any person or 20 entity not expressly authorized by this Act. 21 (f) Each Department responsible for licensure under this 22 Act shall publish on the Department's website a list of the 23 ownership information of cannabis business establishment 24 licensees under the Department's jurisdiction. The list shall 25 include, but is not limited to: the name of the person or 26 entity holding each cannabis business establishment license; HB2343 - 35 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 36 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 36 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 36 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 and the address at which the entity is operating under this 2 Act. This list shall be published and updated monthly. 3 (g) Notwithstanding anything in this Section to the 4 contrary, the Department of Financial and Professional 5 Regulation and the Department of Agriculture may share with 6 the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity any 7 licensee information necessary to support the administration 8 of social equity programming. 9 (Source: P.A. 101-27, eff. 6-25-19; 101-593, eff. 12-4-19; 10 102-98, eff. 7-15-21; 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 11 5-13-22.) HB2343- 37 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 INDEX 2 Statutes amended in order of appearance HB2343- 37 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 37 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 INDEX 2 Statutes amended in order of appearance HB2343- 37 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 37 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 37 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 INDEX 2 Statutes amended in order of appearance HB2343 - 36 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343- 37 -LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 37 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b HB2343 - 37 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b 1 INDEX 2 Statutes amended in order of appearance HB2343 - 37 - LRB104 03587 BDA 13611 b