(The Center Square) – The debate over legislation regulating the hemp industry is revealing cracks in the Democratic Party in Illinois.
Illinois lawmakers are considering legislation to regulate Delta 8 and Delta 9 products and require them to meet the same standards as legal marijuana, including sales through dispensaries.
A Democratic Caucus meeting on the subject Monday night was so contentious that a member of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s team reportedly left in tears.
“Being treated poorly by elected officials is frankly unacceptable and I told that to the Speaker,” Pritzker said at an unrelated event Tuesday.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has been a vocal opponent of the hemp bill, but Pritzker doesn’t believe he was the one to kill the measure.
“My impression is he didn’t have much to do with this,” said Pritzker. “There’s a powerful lobby that has been working against this bill for quite some time.”
Not everyone is so sure, including Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna.
“The Mayor of Chicago is now running the Illinois Democratic Caucus. Not a surprise given the chaos and disorganization on constant display. The Speaker scrambles to put out fires within his own party and continues to overlook meaningful bipartisan solutions to critical issues,” McCombie said in a statement.
Some are claiming victory in the defeat of the hemp legislation, including the Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association (ILHAA).
“The ILHAA extends its gratitude to the Illinois General Assembly for taking the time during its recent lame-duck session to consider the implications of House Bill 4293. We appreciate the legislators’ dedication to ensuring that the voices of small businesses were heard and that careful deliberation prevented the advancement of legislation that could have devastated our industry, threatening hundreds of companies and thousands of jobs across Illinois,” the group said in a statement.
It is uncertain whether the bill will be refiled when a new legislative session begins Wednesday.
