Quick hits: Illinois news in brief for Monday, April 12, 2021
‘Just an impossibility’ to provide date for relaxed COVID-19 restrictions, Pritzker says
Gov. J.B. Pritzker still won’t provide a date for when he’ll relax his COVID-19 restrictions.
On Friday, the governor said it’s “just an impossibility” to provide a date certain more than a year into his restrictions on economic activity.
The governor has said the state can see all restrictions lifted when 50% of the population is vaccinated. As of Monday, state data show nearly 23% have been fully vaccinated.
Illinois opens COVID-19 vaccinations to people 16 and older
People 16 and older are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine starting today.
Chicago will wait until April 19 to expand eligibility.
Eligible residents are asked to schedule an appointment online at Coronavirus.Illinois.gov, or call the IDPH vaccine hotline at 833-621-1284.
Judge orders state to pay lawmakers who voted against pay raises while in office
A judge has sided with two former Illinois state lawmakers by ruling that they deserve backpay.
The Chicago Tribune reported a Cook County judge Thursday said the state must pay former Democratic state Sens. Michael Noland and James Clayborne.
They argued the legislature improperly withheld pay by changing pay in a current term.
State Comptroller Susana Mendoza told the Tribune she plans an appeal.
Lawmakers return to Springfield
The Illinois Legislature returns to the state capitol this week. The Senate has a Friday deadline to move Senate bills out of committee.
The House committee deadline was before their two-week break.
Both chambers have an April 23 deadline to advance bills out of the originating chamber to be considered by the other.
The deadline for the final passage of bills, including a spending plan, is the end of the session on May 31.
Mobile vaccination teams out across the state
Mobile COVID-19 vaccine teams from the state will be out in DeWitt County with 1,200 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Monday. There will also be teams in White County today with around 700 doses. There are dozens of other locations throughout the state where appointments can be made to get the vaccine.
Illinois sports gambling handle falls
Despite seeing a decline in sports betting month-over-month, Illinois is still gaining ground compared with other states.
Industry analysts with PlayIllinois.com say February’s handle in Illinois dropped nearly $72 million in February to $509.8 million.
Despite the drop, Illinois surpassed Pennsylvania’s handle of $509.5 million, making Illinois the third highest state for sports betting.
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