Macomb – Yesterday, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that he will extend and slightly modify his “Stay at Home” order next week. State Representative Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) released the following statement in response:
“While I appreciate the governor’s inclusion of a few House Republican proposals in his extended ‘Stay at Home’ order, such as the re-opening of State parks next month, I am disappointed in the lack of transparency and limited nature of business re-openings in the order. For weeks, we have been requesting that the governor share the modeling data he uses to justify his decision-making. The only data the governor has disclosed was a cardboard graph that appeared at yesterday’s press conference. So far, the governor has been unwilling to provide access to the data or the persons who created the models. That is unacceptable. It begs the question – is the data skewed towards Chicago and what does the modeling look like outside of Chicago.
“The Governor declined to allow churches to hold drive-in services. He also will not allow salons and barbershops of any size to re-open or many, smaller ‘mom and pop’ retail shops to re-open, even as big box competitors are currently open. The list goes on. Illinois is a very diverse state, and the Coronavirus is affecting our area in ways very differently than Chicago. I will continue to urge the Governor to be more transparent, make decisions on a regional basis and allow communities not seeing growing positive Coronavirus cases to re-open businesses and other activities on a safe, responsible and timely basis.
“The being said, I strongly support the continued use of social distancing guidelines of the CDC and wearing a face covering in public. Those activities are essential to transitioning to our normal, daily lives while protecting public health and limiting the spread of the Coronavirus.”
Background:
In recent weeks, House Republican lawmakers have been proposing common-sense and thoughtful ways to improve the stay at home order:
- Associated Press: GOP Lawmakers Suggest Plan For Gradually Re-Opening Illinois
- Chicago Tribune: Illinois Republican Lawmakers Urge Pritzker to Open State Parks and Some Businesses
- SJ-R: Illinois House Republicans Offer Ideas to Reopen State
###