Legislatures are apparently planning on introducing a new bill in January 2019, that would legalize recreational marijuana, with those lawmakers hoping to get it passed before their session ends in May. The proposed measure would allow the commercial sale and regulation of marijuana, similar to alcohol for adults over 21-years-old. There would likely be a 6-month waiting period for officials to draw up rules, before issuing licenses for growing and selling marijuana. Sponsors say that the existing medical marijuana companies would likely get the 1st crack at sales. Until the legislature convenes, sponsors say that they will continue to meet with stakeholders, including recently elected governor JB Pritzker. There are talks on the revised final details on the wide range of issues, which includes the rate that the drug will be taxed. They caution against setting the tax rate too high, since that would hinder one of the main goals, to cut out the black market and related violent crime. Pritzker’s election comes just as a new study is set to estimate annual economic impact of legalization of marijuana, at more than $1-billion a year. The study said that if marijuana is legalized, that would create about 2,600 businesses and about 24,000 jobs, plus tax revenue of about $525-million annually. The Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois estimates that the benefits of legalization of marijuana outweighs the costs, and would save $18-million a year on law enforcement.