January 13, 2021 – An emergency rule for businesses to enforce masks and social distancing in Illinois stands after a 12 member panel of lawmakers failed to block an emergency mask rule. Some wanted the entire 176 member body to take up the issue as a bill.
The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, or JCAR, does not approve rules but they can block them. After one mask mandate was repealed last year by the governor, the Pritzker administration filed a modified rule, which was allowed to stand. That expired on Jan. 4 but was replaced with a third rule.
The current emergency rule differs slightly from the previous rule, by allowing businesses to provide written notice of enforcement to patrons not wearing a mask, among other changes.
The motion to suspend didn’t get the eight of twelve required votes Tuesday. The emergency rule remains in effect until June, until the governor repeals the rule or JCAR approves any possible future motion to suspend.
