Technology & Manufacturing Association Endorses Improved Bill
SCHAUMBURG, IL – Small and midsize manufacturers feel a sense of relief as SB2979, an update to the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), is on its way to the Governor’s desk after passing the Illinois House. The BIPA legislation clarifies the law to reflect “per person” instead of “per occurrence” liability for violations.
Following months of urging lawmakers to fix the flawed bill and protect small businesses from annihilative lawsuits, the Technology & Manufacturing Association is now calling on Governor Pritzker to sign the bill into law.
“Many of the small and midsize manufacturers who have been impacted by BIPA are 2nd and 3rd generation manufacturers who don’t have a legal department and have been subject to annihilative lawsuits that made many get to a point where they had to consider closing their doors, but this new law fixes that from continuing to happen,” said TMA Lobbyist David Curtin.
“Our small and midsize manufacturing members, and other small businesses around the state, applaud the House for passing this bill after Senate Leader Bill Cunningham passed it in the upper chamber. We encourage the governor to sign SB2979 into law to keep Illinois’ small and midsize manufacturing industry strong.”
“While this bill is not perfect, it fixes the BIPA law so there is no ambiguity, which is the big problem with the current law that has led to huge lawsuits and settlements for many companies, and allows for electronic signatures. Perhaps most importantly, both the House and Senate passed it stating that companies could provide judicial notification in pending and future cases of the intent of the legislature to make past BIPA violations “per person,” rather than “per occurrence.”
TMA has been a leader in advocating for better BIPA legislation. Curtin offered supportive testimony of SB2979 to the House Judiciary Committee and his remarks can be found here.
About TMA: Founded in 1925, the Technology and Manufacturing Association is an independent trade organization exclusively focused on assisting small and midsize manufacturers by providing a diverse portfolio of benefits and services, including: community, information, training, resources, and advocacy. TMA has nearly 1,000 members representing over 35,000 manufacturing employees and more than 25 million square feet of manufacturing plant.
Following months of urging lawmakers to fix the flawed bill and protect small businesses from annihilative lawsuits, the Technology & Manufacturing Association is now calling on Governor Pritzker to sign the bill into law.
“Many of the small and midsize manufacturers who have been impacted by BIPA are 2nd and 3rd generation manufacturers who don’t have a legal department and have been subject to annihilative lawsuits that made many get to a point where they had to consider closing their doors, but this new law fixes that from continuing to happen,” said TMA Lobbyist David Curtin.
“Our small and midsize manufacturing members, and other small businesses around the state, applaud the House for passing this bill after Senate Leader Bill Cunningham passed it in the upper chamber. We encourage the governor to sign SB2979 into law to keep Illinois’ small and midsize manufacturing industry strong.”
“While this bill is not perfect, it fixes the BIPA law so there is no ambiguity, which is the big problem with the current law that has led to huge lawsuits and settlements for many companies, and allows for electronic signatures. Perhaps most importantly, both the House and Senate passed it stating that companies could provide judicial notification in pending and future cases of the intent of the legislature to make past BIPA violations “per person,” rather than “per occurrence.”
TMA has been a leader in advocating for better BIPA legislation. Curtin offered supportive testimony of SB2979 to the House Judiciary Committee and his remarks can be found here.
About TMA: Founded in 1925, the Technology and Manufacturing Association is an independent trade organization exclusively focused on assisting small and midsize manufacturers by providing a diverse portfolio of benefits and services, including: community, information, training, resources, and advocacy. TMA has nearly 1,000 members representing over 35,000 manufacturing employees and more than 25 million square feet of manufacturing plant.
