According to the Medical Cannabis pilot, caregivers and patients do not need to be fingerprinted anymore in order to apply for the programme. The Governor Rauner informed and signed the law of removing fingerprint requirement. Here’s a brief from the official document about Fingerprinting and cannabis – is it required? Who is required?: 

• The designated caregivers and patients enrolling for a medical cannabis registration card do not require submitting any fingerprint or providing any consent to run a background check in their application.  
• No person or business can charge the patients who seek to fill out such applications. Additionally, if a patient seeks assistance, he or she can contact the participating health department in their locality and obtain help from the professionals absolutely at free of cost. Several medical dispensaries who sell cannabis can also offer a helping hand to the patients and fill their application form without charging a penny. 
• Certified physicians must have a relationship with the patient either at the hospital, healthcare centre or the physician’s office. The physician has added responsibilities to assess the condition of the patient, provide necessary treatment and take good care of him or her.  

Having said these we must ensure that every state has individual requirement and rules regarding the fingerprint and cannabis issues. Let’s explain.  

Say for example the state of Illinois has recently launched an additional category that discusses this fingerprinting issue at the cannabis industry. While fingerprints of the patients and caregivers are not required anymore, the state authority clarifies that the professionals need to provide their fingerprint.  

Further, federal criminal back ground check will also be mandatory for the dispensaries, craft cultivation, cultivation, transportation and infusion of cannabis. The change will be applied since 1^st January 2020 for every licensee.  

Cannabis registration and tax act will be applicable on the following measures. Go through the below mentioned table to obtain a comprehensive idea about the same.  

Reason for the enquiry	Purpose code	Agency type	NCIC issued ORI reported	FBI access
Cannabis cultivation center	ACC	Illinois dept. of agriculture	IL920716Z	Yes
Cannabis dispensing agent	DOA	Illinois department of professional and financial regulation	IL920715Z	yes
Cannabis craft grower	ACF	Illinois department of agriculture	IL920716Z	Yes
Cannabis transporter	ACT	Illinois department of agriculture	IL920716Z	yes

Additionally, all the owners who have a part of the voting or economic interest in the facility and who have an access to the medical marijuana facility, all the directors, officers, board members, employers, and managers named in the application need to submit their fingerprints so that a criminal record can be checked.  

This fingerprint registration, however, is not yet available for the facility agents’ ID cards. The instructions for these applicants will be informed later on.  

During the registration procedure the applicants need to select one of two options: 1. digital fingerprint services for the applicants belonging to a state, and 2. mailing the fingerprinting card. The second option is available solely for the out of a state residents or physically challenged individuals who cannot complete a manual fingerprint.  

Therefore, abide by these rules so as to avoid being penalized.