Prairie State Wire

Rep. Allen Skillicorn urged Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday to provide further justification for his shelter-in-place executive order effective from March 21 to April 7. 

"What is an 'essential' business, who is an 'essential' worker? Where is the list? How do businesses appeal? So much has been left undefined," Skillicorn said in a statement on Friday. "Governor Pritzker owes it to us all to justify his actions." 

Under the executive order, Pritzker listed 23 definitions for essential businesses, briefly summarized below. 

Essential businesses are any that sell groceries or medicine, produce food and cannabis, are charitable organizations, are related to media, are necessary for transportation, provide financial services, provide hardware and supplies, provide critical trades, primarily offer shipping and delivery services, are educational institutions, are laundry services, are restaurants that offer delivery or take out, offer supplies to work from home or supplies for other essential businesses, provide transportation services, provide home-care services, provide shelter, offer professional services, offer daycare services, offer manufacturing services, are labor unions, are hotels or motels, and provide funeral services.  

Although Skillicorn encouraged residents to stay home if they are feeling Ill, he did not support the order. 

"One man should not, under threat of penalty or force of law, unilaterally dictate to us when we can peaceably assemble, gather to pray or worship, travel to see our loved ones, engage in commerce, or work to earn a living for our families," Skillicorn said. "The exercise of emergency powers by the Governor must be the least restrictive means to accomplish that goal."

CBS Chicago reported on March 19 that the state received approximately 64,000 claims for unemployment benefits between March 16 and 18. 

"We all want to save lives, and a major portion of our lives is our livelihoods," Skillicorn said. "There are thousands of businesses that are going to close and may never reopen because of what the Governor has unilaterally done today."