North Cook News

The fall veto session for the Illinois legislature was canceled this week after the majority of members voiced preferring to postpone the session to a later date with rising concerns over COVID-19. 

“There is a strong majority of members who would prefer the House delay convening to a later date; this is primarily motivated by concerns about the rising COVID-19 rates and proximity to upcoming holidays,” House Speaker Michael Madigan's Chief of Staff Jessica Basham said in a letter to legislature members, The Center Square reported. “I'm advised that there are similar concerns among Senate members, who were also surveyed over the weekend.”

Basham said the coronavirus situation and opinions of legislature members will continue to be monitored during this time. 

“House and Senate leadership will be announcing the cancellation of the veto session (currently scheduled for Nov. 17-19 and Dec. 1-3),” Basham wrote in the message, The Center Square reported. “We will continue to monitor the evolving conditions relative to the pandemic and keep members apprised of future session dates.”

State Rep. Marty Moylan said the concern over the virus was discussed before the cancellation was decided upon. 

"The virus, this epidemic that's happening everywhere, especially in Springfield, all those are a lot of concerns that were considered before the cancellation of veto session," he told North Cook News.

But Gov. J.B. Pritzker has expressed disappointment that the session was canceled. 

“We have so much work to do in Springfield, there’s no doubt,” Pritzker said, The Center Square reported. “With regard to the budget in particular, we have major efforts underway that will require the legislatures engagement.”

But Moylan said there weren't too many bills or concerns for the legislature session to begin with, which meant there wouldn't be much on the legislature agenda when session returns. 

"The coronavirus is raging. So that was another thing to consider. So, and then some other issues that were talked about really aren't ready yet and there hasn't been too many other bills to consider," he told North Cook News. "So if you put it all together, [there wasn't] really a detail roster discussion veto session..."