Today’s update discusses:

• Governor Pritzker’s “resurgence” plan to prevent the spread of COVID-19
• McHenry County’s remote appearance option for petty traffic citations
• Attorney Thomas DeVore’s lawsuit against the IHSA on behalf of his children
• Illinois Bowling Association’s lawsuit against Governor Pritzker’s restrictions on indoor gatherings
• Chicago Teachers Union’s call for remote learning to continue through the fall
• Chicago’s updated travel order for anyone visiting from or returning from 17 different states with a spike in COVID-19 cases

 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS

• Governor Pritzker announced this week a “resurgence” plan to manage spikes in COVID-19 cases. Health officials will now consider 11 different regions of the state rather than the previous 4 regions to better tailor corrective actions related to outbreaks of COVID-19. The resurgence plan establishes guidance for various types of businesses, such as bars, salons, and hospitals.  It provides three tiers of corrective actions for each type of business, depending on how severe resurgence is in a region.

 JUDICAL ACTIONS

• McHenry County is now offering the option to appear in court remotely for various traffic cases. Due to the ongoing pandemic and the difficulty of safely appearing in court, McHenry County is allowing those with a petty traffic citation to appear in a virtual courtroom. Appearance will take place on the same date as the one listed on the citation, 30 minutes after the listed time. 
• The same attorney who has taken the lead on several cases against Governor Pritzker, Thomas DeVore, is now filing his own suit on behalf of his children against the Illinois High School Association (“IHSA”), Hillsboro Community School District, and IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. This lawsuit comes after an announcement requiring student athletes to wear masks. According to the Motion for a Preliminary Injunction, the IHSA and Anderson “have promulgated rules beyond their authority and which are otherwise in violation of Illinois law.” DeVore is asking that the court issue a preliminary injunction to stop the enforcement of the plans issued by the IHSA.
• Governor Pritzker is facing another lawsuit, this time from the Illinois Bowling Association. According to those involved in the lawsuit, the number of people allowed in a bowling alley under the Governor’s reopening plan is far too low. Bowling alleys have been allowed to reopen with no more than 50 people in the building at once.

 EDUCATION

• The Chicago Teachers Union asserts that remote learning should continue through this fall. The Union argues that teachers’ and students’ lives are at risk and that there is insufficient time to develop and implement a plan for in-person instruction to occur in a way that adequately protects students and teachers. According to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a decision on the matter may not come until late August.

HEALTH

• Chicago has added two more states to the travel order that requires travelers who have been in one of the 17 states on the list to quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in Chicago. The list now includes: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. Currently, the order is set to remain in effect until further notice, with the list of states to be evaluated each Tuesday.