No Timetable For 'Essential' Illinois Lawmakers To Return To Work
SPRINGFIELD, IL — More than a month after Gov. J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home executive order issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic declared Illinois lawmakers to be "essential" employees, there is still no timetable for state legislators to begin conduct business again— whether in the State Capitol in Springfield or remotely, as many of the state's thousands of public bodies have done.
A draft version of guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health obtained by the Chicago Tribune suggests attendance at future meetings be limited to state employees. Members of the public, including lobbyists and witnesses, can communicate electronically, with only legislators present for votes.
State police should screen everyone entering for signs of a fever and regularly sanitize all commonly touched surfaces. The guidance also suggests lawmakers 65 and over should consider avoiding traveling to Springfield for the session. Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan is 78.
"The priority is safety for everybody concerned," Madigan's spokesperson told the Tribune. "I don't think there’s anything new as it relates to anything that would approach a timetable."
Republican leaders have called for the General Assembly to meet in a safe manner and pass laws to address the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Two Republican state representatives have also sought to have judges declare that Pritzker overstepped his authority by extending his emergency stay-at-home order beyond 30 days.
Related:
Judge Blocks Governor From Enforcing Stay-At-Home Order On Lawmaker
2nd State Rep Sues To Stop Gov's Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Order
This article originally appeared on the Springfield Patch
