Bill Text: IL SB3546 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Protecting Religious Assembly in States of Emergency Act, which may be referred to as the PRAISE Act. Provides that an order, rule, regulation, ordinance, resolution, or other directive issued by the State government or a unit of local government pursuant to an emergency or health or safety determination, declaration, or proclamation that requires closure or limitation of any business or other facility otherwise open to public use or patronage, but which exempts in whole or in part any particular entity or set of entities, shall exempt to the same extent a place of worship of a tax exempt religious organization as the other entities are exempted. Requires the provisions to be construed to afford to religious organizations and the organizations' places of worship the same degree of freedom to meet as is afforded to the most favored entity or set of entities. Allows a civil action by a person or religious organization that has been burdened or impaired by a violation of the provisions, including injunctive orders; compensatory damages; nominal damages; a finding of a violation; and, when malice or recklessness is demonstrated, punitive damages. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act to make a conforming change.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-09 - Referred to Assignments [SB3546 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB3546-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB3546 Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Jason Plummer SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
20 ILCS 3305/7 from Ch. 127, par. 1057
Creates the Protecting Religious Assembly in States of Emergency Act, which may be referred to as the PRAISE Act. Provides that an order, rule, regulation, ordinance, resolution, or other directive issued by the State government or a unit of local government pursuant to an emergency or health or safety determination, declaration, or proclamation that requires closure or limitation of any business or other facility otherwise open to public use or patronage, but which exempts in whole or in part any particular entity or set of entities, shall exempt to the same extent a place of worship of a tax exempt religious organization as the other entities are exempted. Requires the provisions to be construed to afford to religious organizations and the organizations' places of worship the same degree of freedom to meet as is afforded to the most favored entity or set of entities. Allows a civil action by a person or religious organization that has been burdened or impaired by a violation of the provisions, including injunctive orders; compensatory damages; nominal damages; a finding of a violation; and, when malice or recklessness is demonstrated, punitive damages. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act to make a conforming change.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title; references to Act.
(a) This Act may be cited as the Protecting Religious
Assembly in States of Emergency Act.
(b) References to Act. This Act may be referred to as the
PRAISE Act.
Section 5. Definition. As used in this Act, "place of
worship" means a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or other
building, structure, or place used primarily for religious
worship and includes the grounds of the building, structure,
or place.
Section 10. Protection for places of worship. An order,
rule, regulation, ordinance, resolution, or other directive
issued by the State government or a unit of local government
pursuant to an emergency or health or safety determination,
declaration, or proclamation that requires closure or
limitation of any business or other facility otherwise open to
public use or patronage, but which exempts in whole or in part
any particular entity or set of entities, shall exempt to the
same extent any place of worship of a religious organization

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that is exempt from taxation under 26 CFR 501(c)(3) as the
other entities are exempted. This Section shall be construed
to afford to religious organizations and the organizations'
places of worship the same degree of freedom to meet as is
afforded to the most favored entity or set of entities.
Section 15. Enforcement. A person or religious
organization burdened or impaired by a violation of Section 10
may bring a civil action for relief against the burden or
impairment in a circuit court. A court may provide the
following, noninclusive relief: injunctive orders;
compensatory damages; nominal damages; a finding of a
violation; and, when malice or recklessness is demonstrated,
punitive damages.
Section 20. Home rule. A home rule unit may not regulate
places of worship in a manner inconsistent with this Act. This
Act is a limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of
Article VII of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent
exercise by home rule units of powers and functions exercised
by the State.
Section 100. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act
is amended by changing Section 7 as follows:
(20 ILCS 3305/7) (from Ch. 127, par. 1057)

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Sec. 7. Emergency Powers of the Governor. In the event of a
disaster, as defined in Section 4, the Governor may, by
proclamation declare that a disaster exists. Upon such
proclamation, the Governor shall have and may exercise for a
period not to exceed 30 days the following emergency powers;
provided, however, that the lapse of the emergency powers
shall not, as regards any act or acts occurring or committed
within the 30-day period, deprive any person, firm,
corporation, political subdivision, or body politic of any
right or rights to compensation or reimbursement which he,
she, it, or they may have under the provisions of this Act:
(1) To suspend the provisions of any regulatory
statute prescribing procedures for conduct of State
business, or the orders, rules and regulations of any
State agency, if strict compliance with the provisions of
any statute, order, rule, or regulation would in any way
prevent, hinder or delay necessary action, including
emergency purchases, by the Illinois Emergency Management
Agency, in coping with the disaster.
(2) To utilize all available resources of the State
government as reasonably necessary to cope with the
disaster and of each political subdivision of the State.
(3) To transfer the direction, personnel or functions
of State departments and agencies or units thereof for the
purpose of performing or facilitating disaster response
and recovery programs.

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(4) On behalf of this State to take possession of, and
to acquire full title or a lesser specified interest in,
any personal property as may be necessary to accomplish
the objectives set forth in Section 2 of this Act,
including: airplanes, automobiles, trucks, trailers,
buses, and other vehicles; coal, oils, gasoline, and other
fuels and means of propulsion; explosives, materials,
equipment, and supplies; animals and livestock; feed and
seed; food and provisions for humans and animals; clothing
and bedding; and medicines and medical and surgical
supplies; and to take possession of and for a limited
period occupy and use any real estate necessary to
accomplish those objectives; but only upon the undertaking
by the State to pay just compensation therefor as in this
Act provided, and then only under the following
provisions:
a. The Governor, or the person or persons as the
Governor may authorize so to do, may forthwith take
possession of property for and on behalf of the State;
provided, however, that the Governor or persons shall
simultaneously with the taking, deliver to the owner
or his or her agent, if the identity of the owner or
agency is known or readily ascertainable, a signed
statement in writing, that shall include the name and
address of the owner, the date and place of the taking,
description of the property sufficient to identify it,

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a statement of interest in the property that is being
so taken, and, if possible, a statement in writing,
signed by the owner, setting forth the sum that he or
she is willing to accept as just compensation for the
property or use. Whether or not the owner or agent is
known or readily ascertainable, a true copy of the
statement shall promptly be filed by the Governor or
the person with the Director, who shall keep the
docket of the statements. In cases where the sum that
the owner is willing to accept as just compensation is
less than $1,000, copies of the statements shall also
be filed by the Director with, and shall be passed upon
by an Emergency Management Claims Commission,
consisting of 3 disinterested citizens who shall be
appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, within 20 days after the
Governor's declaration of a disaster, and if the sum
fixed by them as just compensation be less than $1,000
and is accepted in writing by the owner, then the State
Treasurer out of funds appropriated for these
purposes, shall, upon certification thereof by the
Emergency Management Claims Commission, cause the sum
so certified forthwith to be paid to the owner. The
Emergency Management Claims Commission is hereby given
the power to issue appropriate subpoenas and to
administer oaths to witnesses and shall keep

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appropriate minutes and other records of its actions
upon and the disposition made of all claims.
b. When the compensation to be paid for the taking
or use of property or interest therein is not or cannot
be determined and paid under item a of this paragraph
(4), a petition in the name of The People of the State
of Illinois shall be promptly filed by the Director,
which filing may be enforced by mandamus, in the
circuit court of the county where the property or any
part thereof was located when initially taken or used
under the provisions of this Act praying that the
amount of compensation to be paid to the person or
persons interested therein be fixed and determined.
The petition shall include a description of the
property that has been taken, shall state the physical
condition of the property when taken, shall name as
defendants all interested parties, shall set forth the
sum of money estimated to be just compensation for the
property or interest therein taken or used, and shall
be signed by the Director. The litigation shall be
handled by the Attorney General for and on behalf of
the State.
c. Just compensation for the taking or use of
property or interest therein shall be promptly
ascertained in proceedings and established by judgment
against the State, that shall include, as part of the

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just compensation so awarded, interest at the rate of
6% per annum on the fair market value of the property
or interest therein from the date of the taking or use
to the date of the judgment; and the court may order
the payment of delinquent taxes and special
assessments out of the amount so awarded as just
compensation and may make any other orders with
respect to encumbrances, rents, insurance, and other
charges, if any, as shall be just and equitable.
(5) When required by the exigencies of the disaster,
to sell, lend, rent, give, or distribute all or any part of
property so or otherwise acquired to the inhabitants of
this State, or to political subdivisions of this State,
or, under the interstate mutual aid agreements or compacts
as are entered into under the provisions of subparagraph
(5) of paragraph (c) of Section 6 to other states, and to
account for and transmit to the State Treasurer all funds,
if any, received therefor.
(6) To recommend the evacuation of all or part of the
population from any stricken or threatened area within the
State if the Governor deems this action necessary.
(7) To prescribe routes, modes of transportation, and
destinations in connection with evacuation.
(8) To control ingress and egress to and from a
disaster area, the movement of persons within the area,
and the occupancy of premises therein.

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(9) To suspend or limit the sale, dispensing, or
transportation of alcoholic beverages, firearms,
explosives, and combustibles.
(10) To make provision for the availability and use of
temporary emergency housing.
(11) A proclamation of a disaster shall activate the
State Emergency Operations Plan, and political subdivision
emergency operations plans applicable to the political
subdivision or area in question and be authority for the
deployment and use of any forces that the plan or plans
apply and for use or distribution of any supplies,
equipment, and materials and facilities assembled,
stockpiled or arranged to be made available under this Act
or any other provision of law relating to disasters.
(12) Control, restrict, and regulate by rationing,
freezing, use of quotas, prohibitions on shipments, price
fixing, allocation or other means, the use, sale or
distribution of food, feed, fuel, clothing and other
commodities, materials, goods, or services; and perform
and exercise any other functions, powers, and duties as
may be necessary to promote and secure the safety and
protection of the civilian population.
(13) During the continuance of any disaster the
Governor is commander-in-chief of the organized and
unorganized militia and of all other forces available for
emergency duty. To the greatest extent practicable, the

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