Illinois Lawmaker Takes Another Shot at Sunday Sales

CHICAGO – Illinois State Senator Jim Oberweis is making another attempt to let the state’s dealers to open their stores on Sunday, which has been prohibited under the so-called Blue Law since 1984.

The newly proposed legislation, Senate Bill 2860, is named the Religious Equality Act and would allow a dealer to operate any six days of the week of his choosing, so that dealers who worship on a day other than Sunday, could operate on Sundays and close another day.

The new legislation, just like the previous attempts to allow dealers to open on Sundays, is opposed by the Chicago Automobile Trade Assn. that represents most auto dealers in Illinois.

“Few dealers support lifting the state’s blue law on auto sales,” the CATA says in a statement. “Instead, they favor giving employees that day off, especially since banks are not able to finance vehicles on Sundays. Lifting the ban on Sunday sales also would increase dealership costs without increasing sales, which could lead to higher prices for consumers.”

Last year, Oberweis drafted a variety of bills attempting to allow dealerships to open on Sundays. One simply allowed Sunday openings. Another allowed the sale of motor vehicles for no more than two hours on Sundays. Another would have permitted Sunday sales by a dealer who observes a religious day of worship other than Sunday.

None of the bills were approved.

Those who favor Sunday openings argue consumers should have the choice to shop on Sunday and retailers should have the right to sell on Sunday, without forcing all dealers to be closed.

While those who favor Sunday openings insist they want dealership workers to have the day off, some privately have said that if a few dealers opt to open on Sunday, their rival dealers would be forced to open to avoid losing business to their competition. So to avoid losing any sales, they want all dealers to stay closed on Sundays.