(The Center Square) – Some lawmakers in Illinois are being critical of the governor’s attempt to distribute cannabis dispensary licenses, calling it inequitable.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s license distribution plan involves a scoring system and lottery that some believe shuts out minorities.
State Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, calls out the system, saying it put minorities at a disadvantage and needs to be rethought, as reported by NPR.
Portia Mittons, co-chair of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois’ Minority Access Committee said she doesn’t blame lawmakers, as she believed they tried to make an equitable law. Mittons said despite this, the results proved otherwise and the scoring process was particularly problematic.
“It was a complete failure,” Mittons said. “They chose a company that did not do a good job.”
Some applicants received points for which they did not qualify while others, like some social equity applicants, were not given the points they deserved under the law, Mittons said. In the end, no one new got a license last year.
“So you know the state is the one that’s responsible, the state is the one that said we’re going to hand out these licenses, so the state needs to figure out how to fix the thing,” Mittons said. “If it was the…
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(The Center Square) – Some lawmakers in Illinois are being critical of the governor’s attempt to distribute cannabis dispensary licenses, calling it inequitable.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s license distribution plan involves a scoring system and lottery that some believe shuts out minorities.
State Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, calls out the system, saying it put minorities at a disadvantage and needs to be rethought, as reported by NPR.
Portia Mittons, co-chair of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois’ Minority Access Committee said she doesn’t blame lawmakers, as she believed they tried to make an equitable law. Mittons said despite this, the results proved otherwise and the scoring process was particularly problematic.
“It was a complete failure,” Mittons said. “They chose a company that did not do a good job.”
Some applicants received points for which they did not qualify while others, like some social equity applicants, were not given the points they deserved under the law, Mittons said. In the end, no one new got a license last year.
“So you know the state is the one that’s responsible, the state is the one that said we’re going to hand out these licenses, so the state needs to figure out how to fix the thing,” Mittons said. “If it was the…
