The Chicago Sun Times reports..
“For far too long in Illinois we have seen public officials abuse the public trust for their own benefit. It is time we enact much stronger ethics laws, especially concerning the growing cannabis industry where a lot of money is now flowing,” Moylan, a staunch critic of the legalization effort, said in a statement announcing the bill last month.
A conflict of interest ban was added to the recreational pot legislation after it was reported that state Sen. Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) was holding cannabis-related seminars and leading a company that intended to obtain licenses to grow and sell marijuana. Van Pelt was ultimately removed as a sponsor of the legislation and abstained from voting, but her involvement in the business sparked an investigation by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office that’s ongoing.
For now, Moylan’s bill also wouldn’t affect five former regulators who are now profiting off pot, including those linked to startups vying for the next batch of recreational dispensary licenses.
Jay Stewart served from 2011 to 2016 as the director of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the state agency that oversees pot shops. He’s now consulting for Green Renaissance Illinois, or GRI Holdings, a clouted dispensary applicant group with deep ties to state government that’s up for the maximum 10 licenses.
Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnen was the deputy director of medical cannabis program from the IDFPR from 2013 to 2017, when she left to run for office. She has since collected at least $14,700 in pot-related campaign donations and joined AmeriCanna Dream, another applicant group looking to score 10 licenses.
Tara Meyer succeeded Degnen at the IDFPR, serving from 2017 to 2018 before leaving state government to become her successor’s chief of staff. Meyer is also partnered in AmeriCanna Dream.
Jeff Cox is the most recent cannabis regulator to jump into the industry. After working as the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s chief cannabis regulator from 2016 until last June, Cox is now consulting for pot firms operating outside Illinois and effectively circumventing the state’s revolving door policy.
DES PLAINES, Ill. – Committed to ensuring a higher level of ethical standards, equity and transparency in the rapidly growing cannabis sector, state Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, has introduced legislation requiring the public disclosure of all current and prospective cannabis license holders.
Since the legalization of cannabis for recreational use in 2019, Moylan has expressed concern over the fairness of how licenses were distributed, noting that the licenses are largely held by the wealthy and politically connected. The Moylan-introduced House Bill 402 would require the departments responsible for the licensing of cannabis dispensaries, cultivation centers and all other cannabis businesses to publish the name of all applicants and current license holders and the address for which the license was applied. The legislation aims to ensure the distribution of cannabis licenses helps the communities hit hardest by marijuana prohibition and prevent any political maneuvering in the process.
For questions concerning House Bill 402, state issues, other legislation or district matters, please contact Moylan’s full-time constituent office at |||PHONE_NUMBER|||  or email |||EMAIL_ADDRESS||| Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act and the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Requires each Department responsible for licensing of a cannabis business establishment or registration or licensing of a cultivation center or dispensing organization under the Acts to publish on the Department's website a list of the ownership information of the applicants, registrants, or licensees under the Department's jurisdiction. Effective immediately.
17 published and updated monthly.
21 Sec. 55-30. Confidentiality.
10 Section 55-65.
17 necessary to the Attorney General to enforce this Act.
13 Information Act.
19 entity not expressly authorized by this Act.
23 applicants and licensees under the Department's jurisdiction.
1 entity is applying to operate or operating under this Act.
2 This list shall be published and updated monthly.
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