Grundy Reporter

State Sen. Sue Rezin recently voiced her support for an appellate court decision banning Gov. J.B. Pritzker's emergency rule.

In late February, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, or JCAR, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, voted 9-0 to suspend emergency mask rules, according to ABC 7 Chicago News. They did so citing the ruling by Sangamon County Judge Raylene Grischow, which prevented school districts from requiring students to wear masks.

"Thanks to members of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules who took a bipartisan stand to stop the Pritzker Administration’s misguided attempt to reinstate the same rules and mandates that a judge voided, the Appellate Court has moved to dismiss the Governor’s appeal as 'moot,' which has rightfully provided schools with local control," Rezin said in a Feb. 18 Facebook post.

"Today’s court decision should be a wake-up call for the Governor," Rezin said. "It should make him reevaluate his go-it-alone approach and finally drive him to work as an equal partner with the General Assembly. We are over two years into this pandemic. It is time for all of us to work together to create a better-functioning state government that strives to provide a better future for the people of Illinois."

According to CNN News, Pritzker previously announced statewide school mask mandates in August 2021. The rule went into effect for all schools, public and private.

Despite the ruling, Pritzker isn't giving up. He is aiming to take the fight over mask mandates in schools to the state Supreme Court.

Pritzker also said that schools not explicitly named in the lawsuit still need to comply with the mandate. 

"The executive order requiring masks is still in place," Pritzker said, according to ABC 7 Chicago News. "School districts that aren't part of the lawsuit should follow the executive order."

Conflicting information has led to some confusion as to whether schools are required to uphold mask mandates or not. ABC 7 Chicago News reports that JCAR's decision applies to schools across the state.

School District 200 will continue to recommend the wearing of masks in school in accordance with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Illinois Department of Health and the DuPage County Health Department.