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 On Feb. 15 the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR)
of the Illinois General Assembly voted 9-0-2 against extending Gov. J.B.
Pritzker’s emergency rules to enforce state mask, vaccine and testing mandates.
The Illinois Department of Public Health attempted to reissue an emergency rule
to counteract a Feb. 4 Sangamon County court order temporarily halting the
enforcement of the statewide school mask mandate, COVID-19 quarantine policies,
and school staff vaccination and testing rules.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the Sangamon Court ruling “misguided” and said it
would deprive schools of “sufficient tools to keep students and staff safe.” The
attorney general said he was appealing it.
The new JCAR ruling prevents Pritzker and the IDPH from reissuing a statewide
school mask mandate for K-12 public and private schools.
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“Today, the Joint Committee of Administrative Rules
made it clear that we would not accept the governor’s attempts to go
above a court ruling made by a co-equal branch of government,” said
state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris. “In his quest for power and control,
Pritzker and his administration was willing to further the chaos and
confusion for schools throughout the state. With this bipartisan
vote, I hope that the Governor finally recognizes that his
go-it-alone tactic is not in the best interest of our state or its
people.” Pritzker announced last week that Illinois
will lift the statewide indoor mask mandate for most residents Feb.
28, except in schools, hospitals, retirement homes and on public
transit.
In the Midwest, Illinois is the last state to revoke emergency
pandemic masking requirements. The Land of Lincoln was also the only
state in the region with a statewide school mask mandate still in
effect.
Pritzker hinted that he would lift the “in the coming weeks” if
rates continue their downward trajectory. However, the governor did
not offer any specific threshold for COVID-19 metrics under which he
would rescind his executive order for schools.
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