Sen. Dan McConchie | File Photo
Sen. Dan McConchie | File Photo
Senate Republicans are critical of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s authority over the state and are working to minimize his powers in a new bill.
SB103 would allow any governor after Pritzker to make a disaster declaration for only 30 days.
If said governor wants to extend the declaration, he or she would need to consult the General Assembly in the form of a passed resolution.
Senate Republicans authored this bill after months of complaining about Pritzker’s delays in reopening the state.
They are also incensed that Pritzker failed to include them in any discussions about the restrictions imposed on the state in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pritzker declared Illinois in a State of Disaster on March 12, 2020 and ever since he has been extending that declaration.
Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich) proposed SB103, and stresses that it is important for the state to have a General Assembly free to oppose any rule or regulation implemented by the governor during a time of crisis.
McConchie said, “I thought that it was important for other voices, other elected officials from an equal branch of government, to be able to have the input necessary in order to help make sure we were responding as best as we possibly could.”
Some people though are wary about obviating a governor’s authority when responding to a crisis.
Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of Political Science at the University of Illinois Springfield, said that passing SB103 into law could slow down a crisis response.
Redfield said, “The legislature is probably not the best mechanism to try and debate out specific actions under an emergency.” He said that because crises are often unpredictable it’s better to give the governor “more flexibility rather than less.”
McConchie countered Redfield’s statement by reassuring the public that in the event of an emergency, if the General Assembly cannot meet to pass the extension of a disaster declaration then the four party leaders from both chambers could allow the governor to extend it.
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