A St. Charles County Circuit Court judge dismissed Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s lawsuit Thursday against the local school district’s now-rescinded mask mandate, leaving few cases from Schmitt’s legal blitz remaining. The City of St. Charles School District was one of 47 districts Schmitt sued earlier this year over mask mandates, and it was one of only three […]
mask mandate
State files appeal to Supreme Court on mask mandate ruling
Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a petition for appeal Tuesday, along with a motion for an emergency stay of a Sangamon County judge’s order to block enforcement of the rules.
Illinois Democrats vote to remove nine maskless Republicans from House chamber
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House voted to remove nine Republican members from the House floor Thursday afternoon for their refusal to comply with face covering requirements, delaying the start of the legislative session for the third straight day. In a 66-39 vote, Democrats voted to remove Reps. Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, Blaine Wilhour, […]
GOP members challenge Illinois House floor mask mandate; Democrat motions for their removal ahead of private caucus
SPRINGFIELD — Confusion and pushback regarding the enforcement of masks mandates spilled over onto the House Floor Wednesday afternoon during the chamber’s regular legislative session after Republicans refused to comply with face covering requirements. Amid the pandemic, lawmakers approved House rules requiring face coverings to be worn in the chamber unless eating, drinking or speaking […]
Pritzker plans to lift mask mandate by Feb. 28 except in ‘sensitive locations’
SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker will make an official announcement on the state’s plan for lifting its indoor mask mandate at 2 p.m. in Chicago, but in a morning news conference in Champaign Wednesday, he noted that he plans to lift the indoor mandate for some settings by Feb. 28. That won’t be the lift […]
Pritzker says ‘stay tuned’ for new guidance on masks; decisions from other Democratic-led states, Illinois court ruling ramp up pressure
SPRINGFIELD — Illinoisans should stay tuned for an announcement on the state’s indoor mask mandate, Gov. JB Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference Tuesday, although he declined to say specifically what changes might be coming. “I think I’ve said over the last few press conferences that I really believe that we ought to be […]
QPS and other local districts to comply with court order; masks no longer required
Quincy Public Schools Superintendent Roy Webb released a statement Saturday evening saying District 172 would no longer enforce masking requirements for students and staff and would cease testing of unvaccinated staff.
Sangamon Co. Judge blocks schools from enforcing mask, vaccine mandates… refers to policies as ‘type of evil’
In a 30-page ruling late Friday, Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow “deemed null and void” the governor’s emergency rules through the Illinois Department of Public Health concerning COVID-19 mitigations for schools.
Pritzker responds to lawsuit, calls DeVore a ‘grifter’; DeVore threatens to sue…
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded to the lawsuit filed by attorney Thomas DeVore against 145 schools, Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education behalf of hundreds of parents of students over COVID-19 orders affecting school children. “Well, you know, he’s a grifter who is taking money from parents who are being taken advantage of,” […]
Pritzker: Continued COVID decline could end mask mandate
Gov. J.B Pritzker said Illinois will need to show a steady decline in state COVID-19 transmissions before he considers lifting the statewide indoor mask mandate he revived in August. When asked what metrics were needed for Pritzker to rescind his executive order, the governor pointed to high hospitalization rates and new case numbers relative to metrics when Illinois “fully […]
