The Illinois Senate resumed work this week at the State Capitol, although access for lobbyists and the public is highly restricted. The House continues with a full slate of bills in committee hearings, and those are all virtual. NFIB is closely monitoring bills that could impact your business.

Committee Action

Based on our members overwhelming concerns, NFIB supports HB2571, the COVID-19 Immunity Act, sponsored by Rep. Mike Murphy. The bill would provide liability protection for businesses that followed state and federal safety guidelines. It would not protect employers or other organizations that ignored the government’s health protocols and acted with willful recklessness.

The bill was presented on Tuesday, March 16, in the House Judiciary Committee, and after 45 minutes of vigorous debate, it failed to pass on a party-line vote 10-6. While this is disappointing, it’s not the end of our work on the issue. There are four other similar bills that are still in committee for future consideration. NFIB will continue to support these efforts.

VIRTUAL Small Business Day is April 6

Plan to attend our first virtual Small Business Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, April 6. We can’t all gather in Springfield because of the pandemic, so we’ll meet online.

Small Business Day will be streamed from 10 a.m. to 11:30. Live speakers will include Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie and House Assistant Republican Leader Keith Wheeler.

Details on how to register and log in are coming soon.