It’s just a bill
Friday, Jan 10, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The first bill filed in the new GA is about hemp. HB1…
Creates the Prevention of Use of Hemp Cannabinoid Products Intended for Human Consumption by Ingestion or Inhalation by Persons Under 21 Years of Age Act. Permits the sale and possession of hemp cannabinoids by persons 21 years of age or over. Provides that no person shall offer or sell hemp cannabinoid products to consumers in the State unless the person applies for and holds a hemp retailer license issued by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Provides that no person shall sell ready-to-eat hemp products to end consumers without holding a hemp food establishment license issued by the Department of Public Health. Provides that a hemp food establishment that sells ready-to-eat cannabinoid products shall be exclusively licensed and located in the State. Provides that hemp food establishments and hemp retailers shall require proof of age from a purchaser of any cannabinoid products before selling the product to that person. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall administer and enforce the provisions of the Act relating to licensing and oversight of hemp distributors and hemp retailers unless otherwise provided in the Act. Establishes standards for the issuance of licenses under the Act. Provides for criminal and civil penalties for violation of the Act.
* BenefitsPro, a magazine focused on employee benefit news…
The Illinois House is considering a new pharmacy benefit manager regulation bill.
Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-South Holland, Illinois, introduced the bill earlier this week.
The bill could prohibit a PBM from:
- Steering patients toward its own pharmacy.
- Requiring a patient to use an in-network pharmacy.
- Paying a pharmacy an amount less than the national average drug acquisition cost for the drug dispensed.
The bill could require a PBM to provide detailed annual reports and cooperate with annual audits.
Jones wants the bill to apply to PBMs that work with self-insured employer health plans as well as to PBMs contracting with issuers of fully insured individual and group health insurance. The bill would apply to “any health benefit plan,” not simply to “any group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan,” according to the bill synopsis.
* Rep. Rita Mayfield filed HB1170…
Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that the Illinois Community College Board shall develop and maintain a program to provide free tuition at one community college in each R3 Area (designated as such under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act) using money appropriated from the Cannabis Regulation Fund. Authorizes the Board to adopt any rules necessary. Amends the State Finance Act to make related changes.
* Capitol News Illinois…
Lawmakers this week passed a bill aimed at boosting the development of renewable energy generation, but its proponents said the final measure was a “skinny” version of what they had hoped to pass. […]
The IEC, and the Clean Jobs Coalition more broadly, didn’t endorse the bill, taking a neutral stance. Kady McFadden, a lobbyist speaking on behalf of ICJC, said she was “disappointed” by the final bill, noting the elements that were cut out or pared down.
Walling and others expressed a desire for broader legislation in the spring. […]
The IEC and ICJC brought hundreds of people to the Capitol Tuesday to advocate for other climate- and energy-related bills, including bills limiting the use of natural gas for heating buildings and reforming the transit systems in the Chicago area.
Cunningham is also considering legislation that would boost incentives for transmission line construction, a critical step as the state increasingly relies on renewable generation.
* HB1205 from Rep. David Friess…
Amends the Election Code. Provides that the county board or board of county commissioners of a county with a population of less than 100,000 may, by ordinance or resolution, dissolve a municipal board of election commissioners within that county and transfer its functions to the county clerk.
* HB1155 from Rep. Will Guzzardi…
Amends the University of Illinois Act. Provides that the Board of Trustees shall direct the University of Illinois System, in addition to the Office of Investments and external investment managers, to not invest the assets of any endowment fund in the stocks, securities, or other obligations of any fossil fuel company or any subsidiary, affiliate, or parent of any fossil fuel company. Provides that this does not preclude the de minimis exposure of any funds held by the endowment fund to the stocks, securities, or other obligations of any fossil fuel company or any subsidiary, affiliate, or parent of any fossil fuel company. Requires the Board of Trustees to direct the University of Illinois System, in addition to the Office of Investments and external investment managers, to not invest in any prime commercial paper or corporate bonds issued by a fossil fuel company. Provides that, beginning one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Board of Trustees, subject to an affirmative determination of prudence and in accordance with sound investment criteria and consistent with its fiduciary obligations, shall direct the University of Illinois System to ensure that any endowment fund does not have any indirect investments; defines “indirect investment”. Provides that the Board of Trustees shall direct the University of Illinois System, in addition to the Office of Investments and external investment managers, to adopt updates to its written investment policies, if necessary, to meet the requirements of these provisions and publish a copy of those updated policies within 90 days after the adoption of the updated policies. Effective immediately.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 10:08 am:
=any fossil fuel company=
It is bad enough that Illinois will be left behind as other states develop modern Natural Gas/Battery power generating units which JB has banned. Now Rep. Will Guzzardi wants U of I, a public university with benefits to all residents, to handcuff their investment portfolio from a super profitable industry that will lead us to “clean” energy in the coming decades.
- Eire17 - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 10:35 am:
I’m with Donnie Elgin. I’ve always thought impinging investment options in statute is just dumb. Markets change, products change, returns change so many variables go into investment decisions and limiting that process by statute is just not smart.
- Center Drift - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 10:37 am:
We need our legislators to stop their rush to eradicate baseload electrical generation in favor of intermittent sources-wind and solar. There continues to be no practical large scale method of storing electricity. As we continue to increase our use of electricity even with more efficient means of usage the rush to eliminate gas generation as a supplement to nuclear is a sure way to create massive hardships for citizens and business.
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 11:06 am:
- stop their rush to eradicate baseload electrical generation -
What rush? There are still coal fired power plants in Illinois.
The frothing at the mouth from some of you over any steps away from fossil fuel is one of the most pronounced Pavlovian responses I’ve ever seen.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 11:11 am:
“The frothing at the mouth from some of you over any steps away from fossil fuel is one of the most pronounced Pavlovian responses I’ve ever seen.”
Today, the second largest city in America is literally ablaze — but that’s in California so who cares, I guess.
– MrJM
- obvious - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 11:30 am:
House Bill 1 is the hemp industry’s push for looser regulations that what the state has for cannabis. With the budget problems you would think the General Assembly would want to tax hemp at the same rate as cannabis to generate revenue.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 11:42 am:
=any steps away from fossil fuel=
Have you looked at the details of JB’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA)- this includes not just steps - but leaps and bounds away from fossil fuels . Like no other state, we have a mandate that all Nat gas generation stations must be at zero emission by 2045 - since that is completely unrealistic - that effectively bans all Gas generation in IL.
- don the legend - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 12:17 pm:
Donnie, what are you so afraid of? If somebody sets a goal to make two million dollars this year and fall short and make just one million, he or she is still better off than they were.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 12:41 pm:
=Donnie, what are you so afraid of?=
-
Allowing fickle political leaders, who pander to a tiny percentage of the population, to destroy a reliable electrical generation scheme.
- Amalia - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 12:56 pm:
taking good steps on hemp legislation. keep away from young and leave to us older folks to be as irresponsible as we want to be. same with the stronger stuff.
- Pot calling kettle - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 2:00 pm:
We need to stop using fossil fuels as soon as possible. The damage to the environment from extraction and use is growing worse every year. Last year, again, was the hottest on record. The consequences of climate-related disasters is growing by leaps and bounds. Putting the transition of because it is inconvenient is not an option; the impacts are already significant and are becoming worse every year.
Good legislation can be used to force us to find solutions. Over the years, we have replaced damaging chemicals and processes that we previously were told we could not live without. Sometimes, maybe most of the time, we need a push to do the things that are right and necessary.
It is, of course, easier to pretend that we cannot do something (costs too much, the tech does not exist, its too expensive, etc) or that we don’t need to do anything (the very easy route). However, sticking your head in the sand is not a solution, it simply prolongs the problem and makes the end cost much higher.
Some folks have been blaming effected areas for inadequate planning. And now, when someone puts up a plan that addresses the root cause, they object. You cannot have it both ways - this is what plans to address the climate debacle look like.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 2:09 pm:
Cleaner energy is a global priority that transcends politics. The only irrationality at this point is to willfully deny not only the science but the frequent empirical evidence. It’s everyone’s planet, that not some hippie notion.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/climate-change/2024-was-the-hottest-year-on-record-scientists-say/ar-BB1reR3U?ocid=BingNewsSerp
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Jan 10, 25 @ 3:11 pm:
- Nat gas generation stations must be at zero emission by 2045 - since that is completely unrealistic - that effectively bans all Gas generation in IL. -
First of all, that’s 20 years from now, and second, no it doesn’t. If the grid isn’t ready for it there is an exception to keep needed plants online.