McHenry Times

State Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-St. Charles) took to Facebook to draw attention to a KPVI story on how Democratic lawmakers have gone along with Gov. J.B. Pritzker's pandemic response.

"When asked why not bring lawmakers back to provide a check on the governor’s authority, Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said he’s going to keep his 'fingers crossed,'" Ugaste recently posted on Facebook.

Over roughly the last 18 months, the governor has imposed dozens of executive orders affecting everything from the economy to education and healthcare. Just before schools across the state were set to reopen for in-person learning, he reimposed a universal masking mandate for all public and private school students.

Even as a series of lawsuits aimed at limiting the governor’s tendency of governing unilaterally continue to play out in the courts, the Democratic-led state legislature has largely continued to act hands-off.

Resisting calls from Republican lawmakers to call a special session to debate the governor's mandates, both Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Westchester) and Harmon say they stand by the governor's decisions.

“Speaker Welch, members of the Democratic party, and an overwhelming majority of Illinoisans not only support, but appreciate the Governor’s responsible action to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our communities and prevent more death,” spokesperson Jaclyn Driscoll said. “The Speaker has no desire to bring lawmakers back to Springfield so members of the minority party can make campaign videos from the House floor on the taxpayer’s dime. If Republicans wish to avoid mask mandates, they should spend more time in their communities leading with science and encouraging vaccination.”

Meanwhile, Ugaste continues to push House Bill 843, a measure he first filed over a year ago that would establish that an emergency declaration by the governor expires after 30 days and after that time the governor would be required to get authority from the legislature to continue the  declaration.

“It’s something that’s our job to do, it’s something that the people of the state of Illinois expect us to do and we’re not living up to their expectations as their representatives,” Ugaste told the House floor earlier this year.