Will County Gazette

Rachel Ventura introduced SB0042 in the Illinois Senate on Jan. 13, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes the requirement that cannabis within any area of a motor vehicle must be in an odor-proof container. Provides that if a motor vehicle is driven or occupied by an individual 21 years of age or over, a law enforcement officer may not stop or detain the motor vehicle or its driver nor inspect or search the motor vehicle, the contents of the motor vehicle, or the operator or passenger of the motor vehicle solely based on the odor of burnt or raw cannabis."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to regulate the possession and use of medical and adult-use cannabis in motor vehicles on highways. It prohibits drivers and passengers, regardless of their status as medical cannabis cardholders, designated caregivers, cultivation center agents, or dispensing organization agents, from using or possessing cannabis within the passenger area unless it is in a secured, sealed, or resealable child-resistant container that is inaccessible. Violations result in a Class A misdemeanor and potential revocation of cannabis-related credentials for two years. Additionally, the bill prevents law enforcement from stopping or searching vehicles solely based on the odor of cannabis if the occupants are 21 or older.

Rachel Ventura has proposed another four bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Ventura graduated from Benedictine University in 2002 with a BS.

Rachel Ventura is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 43rd Senate District. She replaced previous state senator Eric Mattson in 2023.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB0042	01/13/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes the requirement that cannabis within any area of a motor vehicle must be in an odor-proof container. Provides that if a motor vehicle is driven or occupied by an individual 21 years of age or over, a law enforcement officer may not stop or detain the motor vehicle or its driver nor inspect or search the motor vehicle, the contents of the motor vehicle, or the operator or passenger of the motor vehicle solely based on the odor of burnt or raw cannabis.
SB0043	01/13/2025	Amends the Illinois Century Network Act. Specifies that the Illinois Century Network shall be a service creating and maintaining high speed telecommunications networks that provide reliable communication throughout Illinois (rather than a service creating and maintaining high speed telecommunications networks that provide reliable communication links for wholesale connections with other registered or certified providers and the direct communication needs of various anchor institutions throughout Illinois). Authorizes the Illinois Century Network to develop an end-to-end broadband network that may include, but may not be limited to, middle-mile and last-mile infrastructure. Deletes provisions requiring the Network to avoid duplication of existing communication networks if those networks are capable of maintaining sufficient capacity to meet the requirement of anchor institutions. Effective immediately.
SB0044	01/13/2025	Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation and beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the State Board of Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to school districts that submit a grant application to the State Board requesting funds to purchase an electric vehicle to be used for student driver education courses. Requires the State Board to disseminate a request for applications for grants that shall be accepted on an annual basis. Requires the State Board to establish procedures for submitting requests for grants and issuing funds to approved applicants. Sets forth priority determinations for application selection by the State Board if the appropriation amount in a fiscal year is less than the amount required to fund all applications for grants. Establishes application requirements. Allows the State Board to adopt rules to implement the provisions.
SB0045	01/13/2025	Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that no person may intentionally drag or pull any bovine by its tail by any means for the purpose of entertainment, sport, practice, or contest.
SB0046	01/13/2025	Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Deletes a provision that it is an aggravating factor in sentencing that the sentence is necessary to deter others from committing the same crime.