GOP sues Pritzker over executive order
The Illinois Republican Party is suing Gov. J.B. Pritzker over his consecutive executive orders limiting gatherings to ten or fewer, saying it violates constitutional rights, and they’re asking a federal court to take immediate action.
The GOP’s lawsuit said political party gatherings are essential and time sensitive. The Illinois Republican Party this past weekend held its statewide convention virtually this weekend, instead of in person as the party does every four years.
No appointments yet to Restore commission
Illinois’ legislative leaders have yet to appoint state lawmakers to a commission meant to provide input on reviving the state’s economy in the wake of COVID-19.
The Restore Illinois Collaborative Commission was created by legislation and signed by the governor. Its first report is due July 1.
Security guard didn’t have COVID-19
An employee of a Springfield convention center where lawmakers met last month didn’t have COVID-19 as previously reported.
The State Journal-Register reports an official with the center said the part-time security guard was very sick and when he went to get tested, he was told to proceed as if he had the respiratory disease.
The test came back days later negative.
COVID-19 death toll in Illinois tops 6,300
The state’s COVID stats continue to decline. Public health officials reported just 19 deaths Monday for the latest daily report.
That’s among the lowest daily tolls in the past two months. The state’s seven-day positivity rate is 3 percent.
\There have now been more than 1.2 million COVID-19 tests conducted with 133,000 positive cases. Many have recovered. More than 6,300 have died from the disease, according to public health officials.
State on track to move to Phase 4
Gov. J.B. Pritzker says the state will stay in Phase 3 of his COVID-19 reopening plan for the next ten days with continued restrictions on groups over ten and limits on business operations, despite the state’s regions seeing 43 to 80 percent declines in hospitalizations over the past month.
Even in Phase 4 set for June 26, the state will limit group gatherings to fewer than 50 people and there will be continued business restrictions.
Tax deadline less than a month away
If you didn’t file them in April, don’t worry, you still have a month to file your income taxes. Because of the COVID-19 crisis, the Illinois Department of Revenue and Internal Revenue Service both delayed tax filing deadlines from April 15 to July 15.
