CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration is filing emergency rules for establishments regarding enforcement of public health mandates.
He made the announcement at a Friday morning briefing, during which he also announced a new law that adds protections for retail workers and increases paid disability leave for certain injured essential workers whose recoveries were hindered by the pandemic.
Under the emergency rules, there will be multiple opportunities for compliance before severe penalties are issued to businesses, schools and child care establishments that are not enforcing mask and crowd size mandates. Pritzker said it will give local law enforcement and health departments more leeway in enforcing mandates in a "productive manner."
Previously, the only way to enforce compliance was to jump straight to a severe punishment, such as revoking a license, he said.
The new rules "provide flexibility for local communities and a measured process to help keep people safe," Pritzker's office said in a news release.
There will be three steps to the new emergency rules:
- The business will receive a written notice warning them to comply with public health guidance
- If the business does not comply, it will be given an order to have some or all of its patrons leave as needed in order to be in compliance
- If the business still does not comply, it can receive a class A misdemeanor and be subject to a fine ranging from $75-$2,500.
Pritzker also announced that he signed Senate Bill 471 into law, which adds a penalty for assaulting or battering retail workers who are conveying public health guidance, such as telling someone they have to wear a mask.
“As we continue to adapt to the changes forced on us by the current pandemic, we have to also create a response that addresses the long-time issues it has exacerbated,” said Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford in a news release. “Our essential workers put their lives at risk for us to stay safe, and it is clear that we have to continue to do better to protect working class people with a renewed commitment to providing basic rights for everyone.”
The law also increases paid disability leave for injured workers such as firefighters, law enforcement and paramedics whose recovery was hindered by COVID-19. The injury has to have occurred after March 9 by 60 days.
Eligible employees include:
- Any part-time or full-time state correctional officer or any other full- or part-time employee of the Illinois Department of Corrections
- Any full- or part-time employee of the Prisoner Review Board
- Any full- or part-time employee of the Department of Human Services working within a penal institution or a state mental health or developmental disabilities facility operated by the Department of Human Services
- Any full-time law enforcement officer or full-time firefighter
Illinois reported 1,953 new cases on Thursday, for a total of 188,424 positive COVID-19 cases. The last time daily new cases broke 2,000 cases was on May 24, when 2,508 new cases were reported.
New cases in the state have been rising slowly but steadily since July 8, with the seven-day running average up to 1,647 daily cases.
