Gov. Bruce Rauner says he'll "probably" sign legislation decriminalizing pot possession in Illinois but wouldn't commit for sure, saying he's been distracted by "more important issues" such as the state budget impasse.



"We get caught up in what our state pie is going to be, and how much marijuana is going to get sold," Rauner said Thursday as he was pushing for passage of his "turnaround" legislative agenda at a Springfield steel fabrication plant. He noted that the General Assembly last year passed more than 500 bills, including one that designated pumpkin as the official state pie.



"You know, it's lovely topics," Rauner said. "We got a budget crisis, we need more jobs, we need higher wages, we need more money for our schools. Let's focus on what matters."



The marijuana bill is another attempt at legislation that was vetoed last year by Rauner, who thought the original version would let people carry too much pot and set the fines too low. The new bill drops the number of grams allowed from 15 to 10 and raises the range of fines from $55 to $125 to between $100 and $200.



Rauner said he'd been told that the new bill reflects the changes he requested.



"If that's true, then I'd probably be comfortable with it," Rauner said. (Kim Geiger)