Illinois State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) | Facebook/State Representative Deanne Mazzochi
Illinois State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) | Facebook/State Representative Deanne Mazzochi
The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) of the Illinois General Assembly's recent vote against Gov. J.B. Pritzker's COVD emergency orders spurred a response from Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Westmont).
"It was utterly predictable that his approach of ruling by Executive Order, bypassing the legislative process, ignoring the specific needs of parents and school boards, and denying due process would be polarizing and demoralizing," Mazzochi said in a statement. "Had he respected the legislative, school board, and individual due processes, much of the chaos our schools, parents and students have endured these last two years would have been entirely avoidable. Whatever your position is on masks, the appropriate way to decide these issues was at the local level; or through the legislative process. It is time to end the Governor’s practices of making new law through Executive Order, and get back to a more normal, balanced approach to governance.”
On Feb. 15, the bipartisan JCAR ruled against extending Pritzker's emergency orders by a vote of 9-0-2. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) attempted to counteract a judge's temporary restraining order by reissuing an emergency order. Now, because of the JCAR ruling, Pritzker and IDPH cannot reissue a statewide mask mandate for schools, according to Illinois Policy.
Mazzochi wasn't the only member of the Republican party to criticize the Governor.
“In his quest for power and control, Pritzker and his administration were willing to further the chaos and confusion for schools throughout the state," state Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) said, according to Illinois Policy. "With this bipartisan vote, I hope that the Governor finally recognizes that his go-it-alone tactic is not in the best interest of our state or its people.”
Last week, Pritzker announced that he would lift the statewide mask mandate he had issued for most indoor spaces on Feb. 28. However, Pritzker kept the emergency order for masks in schools in place, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
On Feb. 4, an Illinois judge granted a temporary restraining order, prohibiting school districts across the state from mandating masks, according to NBC Chicago.
Attorney Thomas DeVore represented more than 700 parents involved in the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that Pritzker’s mask mandate did not follow due process, according to NBC Chicago.
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