Chicago Gas Stations, Markets, Banks Would Need Armed Guard Under Bill

CHICAGO — An Illinois state representative is pushing for legislation that would require Chicago gas stations, grocery stores, pawn shops, and banks to employ armed guards starting in 2024.

Thaddeus Jones, a Democrat who also serves as the mayor of suburban Calumet City, recently introduced House Bill 1231, which is also called the Armed Security Protection Act, which would force Chicago businesses to have full-time armed guards on duty on a round-the-clock basis.

The bill, if passed into law, would require businesses to have armed guards in place by July 1, 2024. The bill would require businesses to have at least one armed security officer in place for the hours that the stores and gas stations for the hours that each business is open to the public.

Jones, who has not publicly commented on the bill as of Tuesday, introduced an identical bill to the last Illinois General Assembly, but the proposal never made it past the committee level.

The bill would become inactive in 2027, according to the language of the proposal introduced by Jones.