Have a drink on me! “Boilermakers for COVID” vaccine plan floated in Illinois House

From ILLINOIS POLICY – Illinois state lawmakers are trying to set up a free shot and a beer for those who get a COVID-19 immunization.

One per customer, though. And someone else is paying.

House Bill 4078 proposes a single free alcoholic drink as part of a promotion to get people vaccinated against COVID 19. Lawmakers want to leverage this incentive, but need to use a legislative vehicle to make it happen – currently, Illinois bars are not allowed to use free drinks as a promotion. There is no provision within the bill to compensate bar owners for providing the “free beer” program.

The bill: “Provides that a retail licensee may provide a single drink of alcoholic liquor at no charge to a customer as part of a publicly advertised promotion to encourage participation in any COVID-19 vaccination program if the customer provides proof of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, and that the provision is inoperative on and after 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act.”

The bill was introduced last week by state Rep. Mike Zalewski, D-Riverside.