A shot and a beer? Bill filed to allow Illinois bars to give a free beer if you get a COVID-19 vaccine

Free beer.

Now that Illinois state Rep. Michael J. Zalewski, D-Riverside, has your attention, he’d like to reward people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Zalewski filed House Bill 4078 on Tuesday morning to allow for bars to give one free beer to any customer that can provide proof of being vaccinated against COVID-19.

“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. Effective immediately,” according to the bill synopsis.

If the bill is passed, Illinois would join New Jersey, which has a “shot and a beer” program running, along with certain vaccination sites in Connecticut and Washington, D.C., that are rewarding vaccinated customers with a free beer.