GOP state rep Darren Baily filed a lawsuit saying that Pritzker overreached his authority in extending the stay-at-home order.
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A judge has ruled against Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, issuing a restraining order over the extension of the state’s stay-at-home order, putting the statewide plan in jeopardy.
Clay County Circuit Court Judge Michael McHaney ruled against Pritzker's order, granting a restraining order to temporarily block the stay-at-home restrictions set to take effect Friday, according to local reports.
"We are certainly going to act in a swift action to have this ruling overturned," Pritzker said in his daily coronavirus press briefing Monday.
The ruling comes after Republican State Rep. Darren Bailey of Xenia filed a lawsuit in Clay County Circuit Court claiming Pritzker has exceeded his authority and is violating the civil rights of the state’s residents. Pritzker on Thursday extended his stay-at-home order through May 30 as the highly contagious COVID-19 continued to infect thousands in the state.
"Enough is enough!" Bailey said in a statement. "I filed this lawsuit on behalf of myself and my constituents who are ready to go back to work and resume a normal life.”
Pritzker said he plans to issue new public health directives until the suit is resolved.
"Representative Bailey’s decision to go to the courts is an insult to all Illinoisans who have been lost during this COVID-19 crisis. It’s a danger to millions of people who might get ill because of his recklessness," Pritzker said Monday. "Disasters don’t evaporate on a 30-day timeframe. Legislators took this into account when they wrote this law. We will fight this lawsuit to the furthest means possible. In the interim, we will be issuing new public health directives so we can respond to this public health crisis."