(410 ILCS 705/35-5)

Sec. 35-5. Issuance of licenses.

(a) The Department of Agriculture shall issue up to 40 infuser licenses through a process provided for in this Article no later than July 1, 2020.

(b) The Department of Agriculture shall make the application for infuser licenses available on January 7, 2020, or if that date falls on a weekend or holiday, the business day immediately succeeding the weekend or holiday and every January 7 or succeeding business day thereafter, and shall receive such applications no later than March 15, 2020, or, if that date falls on a weekend or holiday, the business day immediately succeeding the weekend or holiday and every March 15 or succeeding business day thereafter.

(c) By December 21, 2021, the Department of Agriculture may issue up to 60 additional infuser licenses. Prior to issuing such licenses, the Department may adopt rules through emergency rulemaking in accordance with subsection (kk) of Section 5-45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, to modify or raise the number of infuser licenses and modify or change the licensing application process to reduce or eliminate barriers. The General Assembly finds that the adoption of rules to regulate cannabis use is deemed an emergency and necessary for the public interest, safety, and welfare.

In determining whether to exercise the authority granted by this subsection, the Department of Agriculture must consider the following factors:

(1) the percentage of cannabis sales occurring in Illinois not in the regulated market using data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Illinois Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and tourism data from the Illinois Office of Tourism to ascertain total cannabis consumption in Illinois compared to the amount of sales in licensed dispensing organizations;

(2) whether there is an adequate supply of cannabis and cannabis-infused products to serve registered medical cannabis patients;

(3) whether there is an adequate supply of cannabis and cannabis-infused products to serve purchasers;

(4) whether there is an oversupply of cannabis in Illinois leading to trafficking of cannabis to any other state;

(5) population increases or shifts;

(6) changes to federal law;

(7) perceived security risks of increasing the number or location of infuser organizations;

(8) the past security records of infuser organizations;

(9) the Department of Agriculture's capacity to appropriately regulate additional licenses;

(10) (blank); and

(11) any other criteria the Department of Agriculture deems relevant.

(d) After January 1, 2022, the Department of Agriculture may by rule modify or raise the number of infuser licenses, and modify or change the licensing application process to reduce or eliminate barriers based on the criteria in subsection (c).

(e) Upon the completion of the disparity and availability study pertaining to infusers by the Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer pursuant to subsection (e) of Section 5-45, the Department of Agriculture may modify or change the licensing application process to reduce or eliminate barriers and remedy evidence of discrimination identified in the study.

(Source: P.A. 101-27, eff. 6-25-19; 101-593, eff. 12-4-19; 102-98, eff. 7-15-21.)