Illinois Senate votes to advance marijuana legalization question to ballot

The Marijuana Legalization Referendum Act would ask voters if they support legalizing recreational marijuana for people 21 and over. The question is nonbinding.

A question asking Illinois voters whether recreational marijuana should be legal just got closer to the November ballot.

Senate Bill 2275, also called the Marijuana Legalization Referendum Act, would have the Illinois State Board of Elections pose a statewide public advisory question to voters in the 2018 general election.

The nonbinding question posed to voters would be:

“Do you support the legalization of possession and use of marijuana by persons who are at least 21 years of age, subject to regulation and taxation that is similar to the regulation and taxation of tobacco and alcohol?”

Voters could select either yes or no.

SB 2275 passed the Illinois Senate March 1 on a vote of 37-13, with one lawmaker voting present. The measure has moved to the Illinois House and currently sits in the Rules Committee.