(410 ILCS 705/5-45)

Sec. 5-45. Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer.

(a) The position of Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer is created within the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation under the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation. The Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer serves a coordinating role among State agencies regarding this Act and the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The term of office of the Officer shall expire on the third Monday of January in odd-numbered years provided that he or she shall hold office until a successor is appointed and qualified. In case of vacancy in office during the recess of the Senate, the Governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next meeting of the Senate, when the Governor shall nominate some person to fill the office, and any person so nominated who is confirmed by the Senate shall hold office during the remainder of the term and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified.

(b) The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer has the authority to:

(1) maintain a staff;

(2) make recommendations for administrative and statutory changes;

(3) collect data both in Illinois and outside Illinois regarding the regulation of cannabis;

(4) compile or assist in the compilation of any reports required by this Act;

(5) ensure the coordination of efforts between various State agencies involved in regulating and taxing the sale of cannabis in Illinois; and

(6) encourage, promote, suggest, and report best practices for ensuring diversity in the cannabis industry in Illinois.

(c) The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer and the Officer's staff shall not:

(1) participate in the issuance or award of any cannabis business establishment license; or

(2) participate in discipline related to any cannabis business establishment.

The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Officer is not prohibited from coordinating with and making recommendations to agencies regarding licensing and disciplinary policies and procedures.

(d) Any funding required for the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer, its staff, or its activities shall be drawn from the Cannabis Regulation Fund.

(e) The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer shall commission and publish one or more disparity and availability studies that: (1) evaluates whether there exists discrimination in the State's cannabis industry; and (2) if so, evaluates the impact of such discrimination on the State and includes recommendations to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Agriculture for reducing or eliminating any identified barriers to entry in the cannabis market. Such disparity and availability studies shall examine each license type issued pursuant to Sections 15-25, 15-30.1, or 15-35.20, subsection (a) of Section 30-5, or subsection (a) of Section 35-5, and shall be initiated within 180 days from the issuance of the first of each license authorized by those Sections. The results of each disparity and availability study shall be reported to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than 12 months after the commission of each study.

The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer shall forward a copy of its findings and recommendations to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the General Assembly, and the Governor.

(f) The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer may compile, collect, or otherwise gather data necessary for the administration of this Act and to carry out the Officer's duty relating to the recommendation of policy changes. The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer may direct the Department of Agriculture, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Department of Public Health, Department of Human Services, and Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to assist in the compilation, collection, and data gathering authorized pursuant to this subsection. The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer shall compile all of the data into a single report and submit the report to the Governor and the General Assembly and publish the report on its website.

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