State Sen. Sue Rezin said she was "disappointed" with a legislative panel's vote to allow Gov. JB Pritzker's emergency rule to enforce
mask-wearing.
The General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted along party lines to allow the new rules that would subject businesses that do not comply with the state's mask mandate to a fine of up to $2,500.
“By not voting to suspend this overreach of power, the Democratic members of the committee chose to support the Administration’s efforts to circumvent the entire General Assembly,” Rezin said in a statement.
Rezin said the threat of a fine creates additional burdens to businesses hit hard by the economic fallout that came about to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“The ongoing pandemic has had a crippling effect for small businesses across the state, forcing many to permanently close their doors,” she said in her statement. “As elected officials, we should be doing everything within our power to help and support their recovery.”
Pritzker announced the emergency rules for the use of face coverings and the size of gatherings last week and said the rules allow for multiple opportunities for compliance.