Illinois to Legalize<br />Recreational Marijuana Illinois lawmakers voted 66 to 47 in favor of the<br />Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act on May 31. Governor J.B. Pritzker is expected to sign the bill<br />and make Illinois the 11th state to legalize marijuana. Illinois would also be the first U.S. state<br />to legalize commercial recreational<br />marijuana use through its legislature. States such as Alaska, California and<br />Colorado previously legalized recreational<br />marijuana through ballot measures. The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act proposes<br />marijuana regulation in a manner similar to alcohol. Adults 21 and older would be able to legally<br />purchase cannabis and possess up to 30 grams<br />of marijuana and cannabis-infused products. It would also create a framework for<br />the expungement of non-violent<br />cannabis related charges. An estimated 770,000 residents could<br />qualify for record expungement. The bill mandates that tax revenue from<br />the sale of cannabis would be applied to the<br />administrative costs of the expungement processes. The law is expected to go into effect in January 2020.
