Illinois General Assembly
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Recent News About Illinois General Assembly
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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. -
Pritzker withdraws rules extending his shutdown authority and criminalizing business owners
A committee of lawmakers scheduled to discuss and possibly act on controversial new rules introduced last week by Gov. JB Pritzker never took up the matter on Wednesday morning. -
Illinois business owners could do jail time under Pritzker's new emergency rules
Illinois business owners found guilty of violating the governor's stay-at-home-orders could land in jail for up to a year under new emergency rules filed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker late Friday, two months into his executive response to slow the spread of COVID-19. -
Rep. Meier says governor's rule extending shutdown authority, criminalizing business operations 'disgusting'
A showdown over Gov. JB Pritzker's use of emergency powers is likely to play out in Springfield this week in the wake of rules he introduced on Friday, via the Department of Public Health, that would extend his shutdown authority for 150 days. -
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. -
HEPLERBROOM: Illinois Government Responses to Covid-19 – Updated 5/7/2020
The Illinois legislature does not plan to reconvene soon. Under Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan, the General Assembly will not be able to meet in person for some time. -
HEPLERBROOM: Illinois Government Responses to Covid-19 – Updated 5/8/2020
Additionally, Lightfoot would like to see at least 135,000 residents tested a month, with positive rates decreasing below 15% and an average of at least 14 days of declining rates of new cases. For more information and details on Lightfoot’s plan. -
Plummer: Governor is moving the goal posts
This isn't a Republican and Democrat thing, this is an autocrat and economic depression thing. -
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. -
Surge in litigation against businesses expected as lawyers take liability advantage of virus crisis, conservative says
CHICAGO – Conservative talk show host Steve Cortes told Steve Bannon host of the podcast show “War Room Pandemic” that trial lawyers seeking to profit from the COVID-19 pandemic were smelling blood. -
'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. -
Fifth District affirms dismissal of school district funding dispute; Suit alleges school funding should be $15.7B instead of $350M
The Fifth District Appellate Court has affirmed St. Clair County Associate Judge Julie Katz’s order dismissing a funding dispute filed by 21 school districts alleging the state failed to provide the funds necessary to achieve the more rigorous and expensive learning standards required in Illinois. -
State rep seeks to vacate TRO against Pritzker; But says new info will strengthen case when he re-files
MT. VERNON - State Rep. Darren Bailey has asked the Fifth District Appellate Court to vacate a restraining order he won earlier this week against Gov. JB Pritzker over his stay-at-home order. -
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 -
Governor could face additional suits over stay-at-home extension as he vows to appeal restraining order; Others weigh in
A temporary restraining order against Gov. JB Pritzker's plan to extend the statewide stay-at-home order through the end of May could be just the beginning of more constitutional challenges as Illinoisans strive to get back to work, church and eventually to school. -
Why Congress should reject Illinois’ $44 billion bailout request
Two decades of fiscal mismanagement have left state finances ill-prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress should condition any additional aid for troubled states on taxpayer protections that ensure pensions are solvent, accounting is realistic and budgets are balanced. -
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