Recreational Pot Legalization On Democrat Lawmakers' Agenda

ACROSS ILLINOIS — Democrat Illinois lawmakers are looking ahead to the first legislative session of 2019, with plans to propose new legislation for legalizing recreational marijuana. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Sen. Heather Steans and Rep. Kelly Cassidy plan to introduce the legislation in January.

The news follows Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan's announcement last week following a post-election meeting that he supports the Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker's legislative agenda, which includes plans to implement a graduated income tax and legalize recreational marijuana.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Pritzker has claimed legalizing pot could create between $350 million and $700 million in annual tax revenue, a close estimate to the findings in a new study conducted by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which estimates $525 million. The news report adds that nothing has been specified including the rate at which recreational marijuana products would be taxed.

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• Pritzker Hopes To Legalize Marijuana Soon After Being Sworn In

Throughout his term in office, outgoing Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner opposed legalization efforts, Patch reported, limiting a 2016 decriminalization bill through amendatory veto, hindering efforts to expand medical marijuana and disbanding a medical cannabis advisory board in the process.

Patch recently added that state lawmakers, including more than 30 "lame ducks" on their way out of the General Assembly, would consider whether to attempt to override any of the dozens of bills blocked by Rauner during the veto session that began last week.

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