This all kinda came outta no where, i hadnt heard any talk about either of these before the news broke. On 8-25-18 Governor Rauner signed a bill legalizing hemp and hemp production. Gov. Bruce Rauner signs bill legalizing industrial hemp On 8-28 he signed a bill allowing cannabis as an alternative to opoid pain medication. I understand it to mran that if you were ever prescribed an opiate pain med or are currently prescribed an opiate pain med you are eligible. Rauner signs bill allowing medical marijuana alternative for opioid prescriptions This is big because that has been a really restrictive list in Illinois. Like you pretty much had to be terminally ill. Now all that said there's an election coming up in November and I think this is a bunch of BS appeasement on the governor's part. He has openly stated he would oppose a recreational bill.