In response to Governor Pritzker issuing a statewide mask mandate in Illinois schools, regardless of vaccination status, State Representative Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa) has issued the following statement:
“It’s no surprise that Governor Pritzker’s arbitrary mandates are not being taken seriously. How can Pritzker allow Lollapalooza one day, with 100,000 attendees, and the next day mandate masks on our children who have proven to be the least vulnerable? Guidance is one thing, but we cannot continue to trample on our democratic process. We have 3 branches of government, not a dictatorship, and not one-man rule. It is beyond comprehension and an insult to the people of Illinois to think that the Governor’s 30-day emergency powers are indefinite and to leave the legislature out of the process. This is wrong and we cannot continue to mandate one size fits all policies over an incredibly diverse state. These mandates need to come to an end and information provided so that decisions can be made locally by those who understand the needs of the community and have been elected to do so.”