Dive Brief:
- A bill introduced to the Illinois General Assembly would require gas stations, grocery stores, banks and pawn shops in portions of the state to have at least one security guard on location whenever they’re open, according to its proposal letter.
- If passed, the bill would apply to those businesses in municipalities with more than 2 million people, which would only apply to Chicago and operate from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027.
- This is the second time Rep. Thaddeus Jones has submitted a version of this bill. The previous version, in the 2021-2022 session, did not make it out of the rules committee.
Dive Insight:
Security remains a problem many convenience stores are seeking to address. However, since the bill provides no funding for these guards, businesses would either need to absorb the cost of another full-time position or raise store prices to better afford the position.
Hiring for a new position also could add to the ongoing labor crunch c-stores are feeling. Security guards are not immune to the staffing shortages being felt across the U.S. labor market. Both police and private security guards are feeling the strain as well. This could make it difficult for Illinois stores to follow the law if it goes into effect.
And security guards can add their own complications. In Baltimore in October 2022, a c-store security guard was arrested after shooting a man in the head.
According to the Illinois General Assembly, a security guard for these purposes would be a “licensee or registered person” employed by an agency, or someone who carries a weapon as part of their employment with a proprietary security force.
The Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to be in session until May 31.
