Jonathan Bilyk News
Clay County judge grants restraining order, again, vs Pritzker's stay home order
Clay County Judge Michael McHaney has weighed in again on Gov. JB Pritzker's use of executive power during the COVID-19 crisis, granting another temporary restraining order against Pritzker, this time to a southern Illinois tanning salon owner.
Justice Department: Bailey right in dispute vs Pritzker over emergency powers
Steven Weinhoeft, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, says Gov. JB Pritzker was wrong to try to take State Rep. Darren Bailey's lawsuit to federal court, and the governor's interpretation of state law concerning his emergency powers is wrong, as well.
Bailey renews suit vs Pritzker, says Attorney General has ignored prior opinion on limits of guv's COVID powers
State Rep. Darren Bailey says a recently unearthed 2001 opinion from former Attorney General Jim Ryan "lays bare" the governor's emergency powers "overreach."
2001 memo: Illinois governors can't simply extend emergency powers beyond 30 days without legislators' OK
A 2001 memo indicates the longstanding position of the Illinois Attorney General's Office contradicts its recent court filings arguing Gov. JB Pritzker can rule by executive order for as long as COVID-19 is declared an emergency in Illinois.
Springfield federal judge avoids question of whether Pritzker's stay home order is constitutional
Judge refused to let a pro-marijuana group skip signature rules to put a referendum on the ballot in Decatur, but did not address questions raised in Macon County Clerk's brief that Pritzker's COVID-19 powers may be illegal.
Appeals panel: Failure to notify under IL biometrics law 'concrete' injury; Class actions can belong in federal court
A panel of the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals says federal judges are wrong to send class actions under Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act back to Cook County court.
'Full steam ahead': Bailey says continuing legal action vs Pritzker COVID stay home order, emergency powers
Southern Illinois state lawmaker Darren Bailey has pledged to continue his legal pursuit of a court order ending Gov. JB Pritzker’s stay at home order, which Bailey and others have argued is illegal and unconstitutional.
County clerk to federal judge: Pritzker stay home orders should be presumed unconstitutional, unenforceable
Macon County Clerk Josh Tanner, defending against a lawsuit over ballot access, said Pritzker exceeded his power in extending stay at home orders, so the orders should be considered illegal and void.
Church challenges Pritzker's stay home order in court; Prizker revises order to allow small religious gatherings, drive-in services
The lawsuit asserts Pritzker's COVID-19 shutdown orders rest on 'shaky legal foundations,' violate constitutional protections for religion, speech, assembly and due process.
IL A/G: Pritzker has power to declare 30-day emergencies as long as he believes emergency exists
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, through the Illinois Attorney General's Office, has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to overturn a Southern Illinois judge's ruling denting his COVID emergency powers
Judge slaps TRO on Pritzker's stay home extension; Gov. vows swift appeal to get ruling 'overturned'
The lawsuit accused Pritzker of executive overreach, as the law only allows 30 day emergency powers, unless legislature approves longer
IL COVID workers' comp rules repealed after court loss; Pritzker intends to 'revisit,' 'reissue'
Businesses had said the new rules were illegal, but Pritzker had said they're needed because employers should "pick up the tab" for COVID-19 illnesses among their workers
Prosecutor's memo: Pritzker's stay home order may not survive scrutiny in court
A memo, obtained and published by Edgar County Watchdogs, reveals concerns by prosecutors over their ability to legally enforce Pritzker's COVID-19 emergency orders.
Springfield judge blocks Pritzker's COVID workers' comp rule changes; Employers say are illegal, could cost billions
A judge has granted a temporary restraining order to business groups who accused the Pritzker administration of illegally enacting new workers' comp rules to leave employers to "pick up the tab" for COVID illness
Pritzker extends stay at home order til May 30, but how long will the law allow him to do so?
A lawsuit from a downstate Republican state representative demands the courts block Pritzker, until and unless the General Assembly takes action to grant him more emergency powers.
IL COVID workers comp rule changes could leave employers asking: Close the doors or 'pick up tab'?
Illinois' Workers' Compensation Committee has changed workers' comp rules, forcing employers to prove workers infected by COVID weren't infected at work.
'Unprecedented' COVID crisis sparks new Pritzker order, shielding doctors, hospitals from 'plague' of post-crisis lawsuits
Illinois' governor signed the order on April 1 to provide legal protection badly needed by hospitals and health care pros to fight COVID, the Illinois Hospital Association said.
FDA: Sterilization plants needed to boost PPE supply vs COVID; activists question, resist call to reopen plants
Anti-EtO sterilization groups in IL, GA, oppose FDA's call to reopen medical sterilization plants closed last year, which FDA says are needed to help fight COVID-19
EPA data reveals EtO in air, far from targeted emissions sources; Med device makers urge EPA to pump brakes on rules
Industry warns acting on stringent public risk assessment levels 'pose increased risk to public health'
Justice Thomas, former kicker for Chicago Bears, to retire from IL Supreme Court; 'Great loss for the Court, for the People of Illinois,' colleague says
Voters in most of Chicago’s suburban collar counties and elsewhere in Illinois’ northwest region will have the chance to select a new Illinois Supreme Court justice in 2022, after Justice Robert R. “Bob” Thomas announced his retirement from the state's high court.