Illinois marijuana dispensary application lottery changes announced by Gov. Pritzker

The process has been criticized for shutting out minority applicants. Now, businesses that scored below a certain level on their application will get a chance to make changes, then file again.

Jermell Chavis grew up in North Lawndale and served two tours in Iraq as a U.S. Marine. Now he wants to return to his West Side neighborhood and open a marijuana dispensary.

“I’m supposed to be a true representation of what program was supposed to address, somehow we fell one point shy of that initial turnout,” he said.

Chavis is one of dozens of social equity applicants who did not make the lottery for 75 dispensary licenses. After an outcry from minority applicant sand state lawmakers, who claimed the scoring was unfair, Gov. Pritzker is pausing the process and allowing applicants to resubmit their applications.

“Other applicants that earn an updated perfect score will join the existing successful applicants in entering the lottery for 75 adult use licenses,” Pritzker said. [Read More @ ABC News]