Illinois State Senate District 58 issued the following announcement on May 14.
State Senator Paul Schimpf (R-Waterloo) says that holding public hearings on the governor’s re-opening proposal should be one of the first priorities of the Illinois Senate when it convenes next week.
“Much of the decision-making on this re-opening plan has been in the dark, based on information that hasn’t been released publicly in its entirety,” said State Senator Paul Schimpf (R-Waterloo). “The legislature needs to take this opportunity to really dig into the plan, the data behind it, and the impact that the pandemic and stay-at-home order have had on people across Illinois. The best way to do this is through public hearings.”
The Illinois Senate is scheduled to convene for session next week, May 20-22, in Springfield. No hearings have been posted so far to deal with the re-opening plan. Senate Republican leader Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) sent a formal request to Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) requesting a hearing.
Senator Schimpf notes that Southern Illinois Senators and Representatives from both parties have joined the chorus of lawmakers and citizens across Illinois in the need for a true public vetting of the re-opening plan and legislative input on how the state moves forward.
“I think it’s clear that if the General Assembly and the Governor work together as co-equal partners in the process, we can come up with a better, more comprehensive plan that works for the people of Illinois,” said Senator Schimpf.
The Senator is also asking for the public’s help. On Senator Schimps’s website, SenatorSchimpf.com, there is a petition where people can add their name to the call for public hearings on the governor’s re-opening plan.
Original source can be found here.
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