Today’s update includes information on:

• the upcoming holidays
• furlough of prisoners
• public assistance requirements

HEALTH

• Reports from the past week have indicated that many religious communities are still planning services despite the Governor’s stay at home order. As an additional effort to get residents to maintain social distancing, Governor Pritzker encouraged residents to stay home for the upcoming holidays and find a creative way to use technology to gather with family and to participate in worship.
• Governor Pritzker signed an Executive Order on Monday suspending certain provisions that restrict furlough of IDOC inmates. Recognizing that inmates cannot adhere to social distancing recommendations due to living conditions while incarcerated, the Governor’s order allows furlough for medical, psychiatric, or psychological purposes at the discretion of the Director of the Department of Corrections. Further, the Order suspends the 14-day maximum period for furlough. Rather, if the Director grants furlough, it can last for the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation..

RESOURCE ALLOCATION

• Governor Pritzker signed an Executive Order on Monday suspending the requirement that residents seeking public assistance provide an audio recording of their verbal attestation during a telephone application for benefits for the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation. The order states that a simple verbal attestation properly documented by the State constitutes a valid signature. Additionally, the requirement of the Electronic Commerce Security Act requiring relevant minimum security is suspended for the purpose of effecting the above change for the remainder of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation.