Signed by Governor Bruce Rauner

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

A vote to pass a bill that creates the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program.

Highlights:

• Establishes this act as the Alternatives to Opioids Act of 2018 (Sec. 1).

• Amends the Illinois Procurement Code to exempt procurement expenditures necessary for the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Public Health to implement the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program and Opioid Alternative Pilot Program requirements, from the code (Sec. 1-10).

• Specifies that an individual with a provisional registration for qualifying patient cardholder status, a qualifying patient in the medical cannabis pilot program, or an Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant is not considered an unlawful user (Sec. 7).

• Defines the “Illinois Cannabis Tracking System” as a web-based system established and maintained by the Department of Public Health that is available to the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Illinois State Police, and registered medical cannabis dispensing organizations on a 24-hour basis, for uploading written certifications for Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participants, verifying Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participants, verifying Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participants' available cannabis allotment and assigned dispensary, and tracking the date of sale, amount, and price of medical cannabis purchased by an Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant (Sec. 10).

• Establishes the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program through the Department of Public Health, which grants individuals 21 and older the ability to purchase medical cannabis upon enrollment in the program (Sec. 62).

• Defines “Opioid Alternative Pilot Program participant” as an individual who has received a valid written certification to participate in the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program for a medical condition for which an opioid has been or could be prescribed by a physician based on generally accepted standards of care (Sec. 10).

• Defines “provisional registration” as a document issued by the Department of Public Health to a qualifying patient who has submitted either an online application and paid a fee to participate in Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program pending approval or denial of the patient's application, or a completed application for terminal illness (Sec. 10).

• Requires the Department of Public Health to provide written certification confirming a patient’s debilitating medical condition and or their eligibility to participate in the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program (Sec. 36).

• Specifies that this written certification does not constitute a prescription for medical cannabis (Sec. 36).

• Specifies that an individual submitting fraudulent certification to be in these programs will be permanently banned from participating in the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program or the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program (Sec. 36).

• Requires individuals to present a valid driver’s license or State identification card alongside their provisional registration in order to receive medical cannabis from the licensed dispensing organization specified in their application (Sec. 55).

• Authorizes licensed dispensing organizations to dispense up to 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis during a 14-day period to individuals with provisional registration, for a period of 90 days (Sec. 55).

• Requires individuals with provisional registrations to have their provisional registration on them at all times while transporting or using cannabis (Sec. 55).

• Classifies the act of charging a fee for assistance in the preparation, compilation, or submission of an application to the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program or the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program as a Class C misdemeanor, which includes providing restitution to the applicant and paying a fine of up to $1,500 (Sec. 55).

• Requires all licensed dispensing organizations participating in the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program to use the Illinois Cannabis Tracking System, and to have a copy of the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program certification as well as any other identifying information required by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Department of Public Health, and the Illinois State Police in the Illinois Cannabis Tracking System (Sec. 62).

• Specifies that the provisions of the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program become inoperative on and after July 1, 2020 (Sec. 62).

Full Bill Text