Bernie Sanders Lost Illinois, but He Changed Chicago

[frazzled]

5. The whole state of Illinois has legal marijuana

Governor JB Pritzger ran on that issue (among others), it was voted on by the State Legislature (first state to do so via legislative action, not referendum), and signed by Pritzger in June 2019. it included the expungement of thousands of prior arrests and requirements for minority-owned dispensary licenses to be granted (I think first state ever to add that).

Pritzger is no Berniecrat; he's a straight-up Democrat who also (can't believe we are still having to do this) ran on changing the state's constitution to provide for graduated income tax rather than the flat 4% we've had. Marijuana sales is partly a way to help the cash-strapped state raise revenues. The social justice aspects are the bill were wide and fairly unprecedented.

Illinois becomes the 11th state to legalize recreational cannabis. Pritzker noted that Illinois is the first state to fully legalize commercial sales through the legislature, rather than through referendum.
He emphasized that the law provides for automatic expungement of arrests for marijuana possession under 30 grams, and that he will pardon those with convictions for possession up to 30 grams.
Individuals and prosecutors may go to court to seek expungement of cases involving up to 500 grams.
“Today we are giving hundreds of thousands of people the chance at a better life,” Pritzker said.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-governor-to-sign-recreational-marijuana-law-20190624-ee2bswlsq5eqvkcbuq6oz6id5i-story.html