Posted on 02/27/2023 11:15:10 AM PST by SJackson
Illinois House bill would force Chicago grocers, gas stations to hire armed guards
A state lawmaker wants to force select Chicago businesses to hire full-time, armed security guards.
Illinois state lawmakers are pondering a bill that would force Chicago grocery stores, gas stations, banks and pawn shops to hire their own armed security guards to cover all hours they are open to the public.
State Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City, introduced the “Armed Security Protection Act.” It only applies to municipalities with more than 2 million residents, which in Illinois would exclusively mean Chicago.
What the bill doesn’t mention is the higher costs for businesses, which get passed on to customers. Grocery stores are defined as “a business engaged in the sale of food, beverages, and other goods usually used in a home,” which appears to include the corner bodega.
Inflation has put financial pressure on grocery stores and shoppers in Illinois. The consumer price index for food has grown more than any major category, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The bill also covers gas stations, adding costs when Chicago motorists already pay the nation’s second-highest gas taxes. The average gallon of gas in Chicago costs $4.08 as of Feb. 2, more than 25 cents higher than a month ago.
Jones introduced the same bill in the previous Illinois General Assembly, but it never made it past committee consideration. The newest version would be implemented in July 2024 if passed, but as of Jan. 31 was assigned to the Rules Committee where bills are often sent to die.
i thought that was wut they paid taxes for, you know like the CPD...
It takes a ‘law’ to force upon the populous that which they don’t want in the first place.
He is begging for more “food deserts.”
Abject failure of the elected officials, can not sustain a police force to control crime so they make it a law to businesses to hire their own security while they continue to take taxes from them.
Sad. But probably a necessary law, though prices will rise to include their wages.
I grew up in a Chicago suburb and remember walking across the loop from the RR station to Michigan Boulevard to go to the dentist a few times a month when I was a teen-aged girl.
I’d be murdered three times if I tried that today..
More guns needed on the street to handle the guns already on the street.
I thought guns were bad?.....................
Well, at least their finally admitting they have a serious crime problem.
If your taxes don't pay for the security offered by a well trained police force, what is the alleged higher priority?
Maybe they should amend the locations to areas where the demographics are over 20% black residents. That IMO would make more sense.
I don’t stop for anything in the Ill State.
Is this their answer to crime?
What happens when one of these guards attempts to stop a thug from stealing? Will the state have the grocer’s back? The security company? The guards? Or the thug? You know the answer.
Wow, Stores and gas stations in Chicago to have armed guards? What is going on there that it’s so bad it had to come to this???
It would be interesting if that bill gave the armed guard immunity for any actions he might take.
But somehow I doubt if such a clause is there.
Aren’t guns illegal in IL except for government protection?
so there’s no need for Police and they can lower taxes right ,LOL
The police will be busy guarding the donut shops.
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