SB3546 Summary

• Creates the Protecting Religious Assembly in States of Emergency Act (PRAISE Act) to ensure places of worship of tax-exempt religious organizations receive the same exemptions from emergency closure or limitation orders as other similarly-situated entities.

• Requires emergency directives that exempt any business or facility must extend equal exemptions to religious places of worship, affording them the same degree of freedom to meet as the most favored entity.

• Establishes civil enforcement allowing persons or religious organizations harmed by violations to sue for injunctive relief, compensatory damages, nominal damages, and punitive damages when malice or recklessness is demonstrated.

• Limits home rule units from regulating places of worship in a manner inconsistent with the Act and designates it as a constitutional limitation on concurrent exercise of home rule powers.

• Makes conforming amendments to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.