* As part of the spending deal to end the federal government shutdown, Congress approved provision banning THC products. Governor Pritzker was asked about the hemp ban during an unrelated news conference…
Pritzker: What I wanted was for intoxicating hemp to be regulated the same way that cannabis is in the state, and I haven’t looked at the details of the bill that was passed, because it’s not a complete ban. There’s regulation around it. It makes it harder for the worst parts of intoxicating hemp to be just sold to anybody. So we’re going to have to look at how we might regulate it now that we see that the federal government is limiting it. But the goal here is to keep our children safe. That really is my number one goal about regulating intoxicating hemp. And when it’s available everywhere, and it’s got names like Skittlz with a Z on the end, and it looks the same as Skittles the candy. It’s just not right. I have been disappointed that the industry here has been unwilling to accept proper regulation. So now we’ll end up at the table talking about how best to move forward.
Reporter: Will you ask the General Assembly to look at regulating it?
Pritzker: Again, I have to sort of sort through what the federal bill actually allows us to do, because Supremacy Clause, we’ve learned a lot about that in the last few months. But we want to make sure that whatever it is that’s allowed in the state of Illinois, again, is just safe for children and, obviously, safe for anybody that uses it.
* Click here for some background. On Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s head tax…
Reporter: Reporter: You spoke on Veterans Day with Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez about Mayor Johnson’s proposed head tax. How would you characterize your conversation with him, and did he swing you at all on your opposition to the head tax?
Pritzker: Well, yelling isn’t a conversation, and that’s how he came at it. But I was the one who stopped to talk to him, because, look, he’s an alderman — dialogue is always a good thing. I know he disagrees with me. He thinks there ought to be a head tax. I think that taxing businesses on the number of jobs that they’re creating is a bad way to go. Do I think that we ought to have a more graduated income tax system, or one in which wealthy businesses, wealthy people are paying a higher percentage than average working people? Yes, I do. I think that’s been pretty clear. So I’m not sure exactly what he was yelling about, except that we have a disagreement about that head tax. I don’t think that’s a good idea, because telling people that, well, the fewer people you hire, the less you’re going to pay, is not a good message for businesses or for workers, for that matter. So I was happy to have a conversation. I don’t think he did it in the right way. He could have called me. He’s not ever called me. I know he said he’s reached out to members of my administration, but I’m pretty easy to find and pretty easy to get on the phone with and talk. That’s not what he wants. He just wants headlines, because I think he wants to run for Congress — although I don’t see how that’s available, except, of course, as a write-in. We’ll see how that goes.
The governor is wrong that Sigcho-Lopez would need to run a write-in campaign. He can run as an independent, but he’ll need more than 11,000 valid signatures.
* On the Homeowners’ insurance reform bill that failed in House with 56 votes…
Reporter: Can I ask you about homeowner’s insurance. There was a bill that failed on the House floor, can I get your reaction to that? What do you think is the pass moving forward?
Pritzker: Look, we’re one of the very few states that doesn’t have any limits on what a an insurance company can charge and how they can increase the homeowner’s insurance premiums. So I believe that we need to move forward looking at that bill that didn’t quite get through the House, and see how it might be adjusted, so that our Department of Insurance can review the premiums that are increases that State Farm and Allstate and other homeowners insurance companies are charging. But increases like 27 percent in a single year ought to be reviewed by a state regulator, and that’s all we’re asking.
Reporter: What kind of adjustments?
Pritzker: Again, what we want is for the insurance companies simply to show us why it’s appropriate for them to raise rates by 27 percent. They didn’t do that. They haven’t done that. All they did was say, ‘Well, we had losses, so we’re increasing by 27 percent.’ We don’t know if the homeowners are being gouged. And that’s what it feels like with 27 percent increases. By the way, that’s the average increase. There’s some that are getting 40 and 50 percent increases and some lower, but 27 percent on average is ludicrous in a single year. And so again, we just want them to justify what they’re doing to homeowners across the state. I think 27 percent sounds outrageous.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 11:50 am:
==we just want them to justify what they’re doing==
Yes. If they want to increase their rates they should have to prove why they need to increase them by the percentages they are asking for.
==I think 27 percent sounds outrageous.==
It’s price gouging. Insurance companies are making money hand over fist and yet they still continue to increase their rates by ridiculous amounts. I would go a step further and ban them from increasing their rates above a certain percentage.
- Mason County - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 12:18 pm:
This homeowenrs insurance is for real. The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) published a report that shows American homeowners saw their insurance premiums increase by an average of 24% over the past three years. In some areas of the natin it is vastly more. Even localities that have few claims get hit as insurance companies ship premiums from high cost areas to low claim areas.
Something must be done to not cripple insurance companies but to make certain that ‘premium shifts’ are not allowed.
- DownState_Dog - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 12:59 pm:
I hope those who have been keeping intoxicating hemp available in Illinois show their faces when trying to protect a dangerous market and group of products that have been harming our legal seed to table cannabis industry. Not to mention all the children who have been able to get their hands on these unregulated products that have been marketed to children.
- Steve - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 1:11 pm:
-I think that we ought to have a more graduated income tax system-
The issue isn’t going away in Illinois : you heard it from Pritzker’s mouth.
- NobodyAskedMe - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 1:12 pm:
Downstate, where are you seeing cannabis marketed to children?
- City Zen - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 1:20 pm:
==Do I think that we ought to have a more graduated income tax system==
We already do. If you’re retired, you pay nothing. If you’re making the same as that retired person, you pay full freight.
- DownState_Dog - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 1:23 pm:
If you go into almost any gas station you can see unregulated cannabis products with marketing material as the Governor had mentioned. I understand the Governor may not be 100% knowledgeable regarding the strains that within the cannabis industry, one being “Skittlez”. However his point that these products are being marketed twards kids is spot on.
When ethical brands, such as 710 labs (arguably one of the most reputable cannabis brands in the nation) puts their products out to consumers, they do not put it in bags that could, and has lead to, children eating the products expecting it to be a bag of unintoxicating candies. If we want to be responsible about this we should make sure everyone aiming to get intoxicating products into the hands of adults is enrolled in our regulatory programs that are intended on protecting consumers. Plain and simple.
- Steve - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 1:28 pm:
-We already do. If you’re retired, you pay nothing-
That’s on retirement income which isn’t the brunt of income earned in Illinois.
- DownState_Dog - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 1:29 pm:
There is another strain called “Girl Scout Cookies” and this name could be extremely misleading to most children and unexperienced cannabis users. Someone who is trying to be ethical may still harm people through simply lack of education. It is in the best interest of everyone in the state to regulate these products to limit confusion, and ultimately harm to consumers.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 1:55 pm:
==We already do.==
Don’t be cute. You know exactly what is meant by that.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 2:31 pm:
All those yelling at the people who actually tried progressive taxation, did they do any campaigning for the Fair Tax? Did they talk with resistant voters in tough districts? What are they doing to actually help enact it?
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 2:45 pm:
DownState_Dog,
I tried a little research but was no able to identify any lobbyists at the state level. Presumably someone has lobbied for keeping this garbage legal. Maybe somebody more adept at searching the ILSOS list can find some clues?
You’re correct, it’d be nice to know who helped keep this legal for so long.
- Steve - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 2:59 pm:
-What are they doing to actually help enact it? -
Maybe they didn’t do enough. Maybe they couldn’t overcome the fear of much higher taxes. But, time is on their side. When powerful special interests who want higher taxes they will eventually win what they are attempting to do even if they lose once in a while. The higher tax coalition has driven out state many who are opposed to higher state income taxes.
- DownState_Dog - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 3:53 pm:
47th Ward, I know the legislators who have been reluctant in the House! Their reasoning is… let’s just say disappointing!
- Sue - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 3:54 pm:
Insurers need to calculate replacement costs- houses in 2025 are50 percent more expensive then 2019 as are the costs of repairs- having spoken to several insurance companies they are being hit with higher claims not only that but perhaps the Governor could attempt to reign in the explosion in fraudulent roof damage. claims if he is willing to take on the trial lawyers. Illinois is like ground zero when it comes to roof damage claims which drivecup all of our premiums
- Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 4:01 pm:
@Sue
They are being asked to provide information on how the rates are calculated and to prove that they need the increases they are asking for. If their rate increases are justified then they should have no problem providing that information. But we all know their rate increases aren’t justified which is why they are hiding the info.
- Brave New World - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 4:01 pm:
=I would go a step further and ban them from increasing their rates above a certain percentage.=
Our insurance expert is gracing us with his wisdom again. Last time, he wanted to ban “for profit” insurance, after sharing his home policy was with a mutual company (and had no clue what that meant).
- Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 4:02 pm:
==fraudulent roof damage. claims==
The insurers have their own adjusters. They can reign that in themselves.
- Leslie K - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 4:12 pm:
==When ethical brands, such as 710 labs (arguably one of the most reputable cannabis brands in the nation) ==
Tell me you are working for this brand without telling me. And then I will go elsewhere for actual information. (So thank you, I guess?)
- DownState_Dog - Thursday, Nov 13, 25 @ 4:24 pm:
lol They do not operate in the State of Illinois and will not for the foreseeable future. I just listed that brand because it is widely known within the cannabis connoisseur community and have never packaged their products in ways which target children or others who are not interested in partaking in using cannabis. 710 Labs, and many other brands, including many who have licenses through the State of Illinois, go out of their way to make sure no one can mistake their products for something other than what they are.
Leslie K., I appreciate the comment suggesting I work for one of my favorite brands (even though I can only get it elsewhere)! I am just passionate about protecting children and the success of Illinois regulated seed to table legal cannabis program! VERY SIMPLE LOL