Skip to content

BIPA Reforms Introduced in Springfield

BIPA Reforms Introduced in Springfield

February 7, 2024 Last Edit: July 18, 2024

New legislation to address issues with the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) was introduced in the Illinois Senate on January 31.

New legislation to address issues with the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) was introduced in the Illinois Senate on January 31.

The bill, SB 2979, includes reforms to the current statute. Most notably, it provides that if biometric information is wrongly obtained or disseminated more than once, each separate transaction will no longer be counted as a separate violation if it involves the same individuals, using the same methods, and collecting or disseminating the same biometric identifiers.

Thus a business that inadvertently violates BIPA standards by improperly recording an employee’s fingerprint every day when he or she clocks into work without an authorized written release, would only be subject to one violation of the act, rather than a separate violation for each time the employee scanned his or her fingerprint.

The current wording of the statute, by allowing for penalties for each individual action, has allowed litigants to exact massive penalties from the business community.

The legislation also provides for electronic signatures on written employee releases that authorize employers to collect and store specified biometric information for workplace reasons.

The legislation was introduced by Senator Bill Cunningham.

Get to know NFIB

NFIB is a member-driven organization advocating on behalf of small and independent businesses nationwide.

Receive our newsletter and email notification
Knowledge is power. Let us help you stay informed with breaking legislative news, regulatory updates, business tips, and more.

Related Articles

Handsome Man shopping online
April 21, 2025
Illinois Legislative Deadline Extended for Job-Tax Proposal
A number of Illinois senators have signaled support
Read More
Illinois Flag
April 18, 2025
Illinois Ranks 46th out of 50 States for Economic Competitivene…
Illinois climbed two places, from 48th to 46th, in the rankings but continu…
Read More
Small Business Owner Calculates Taxes Finance Expensive Inventory Inflation Cost
April 15, 2025
How a Potential Small Business Tax Hike Will Impact Minnesota
NFIB Releases Report Detailing Benefits of 20% Small Business Tax Deduction…
Read More
April 15, 2025
How a Potential Small Business Tax Hike Will Impact Illinois
NFIB Releases Report Detailing Benefits of 20% Small Business Tax Deduction…
Read More

© 2001 - 2025 National Federation of Independent Business. All Rights Reserved. Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Accessibility