Illinois Appellate Court Finds that Municipalities Lack Jurisdiction to Enforce Offenses that Govern the Movement of Vehicles

On November 15, 2022, the Illinois Appellate Court for the Third Judicial District issued a decision in Robert Cammacho Jr., et al. v. City of Joliet, 2022 IL App (3d) 210591-U, and ruled that the City of Joliet lacked jurisdiction to enforce overweight vehicle ordinance through administrative adjudication. Background The City enacted Ordinance 19-21, which provides: “[u]nless authorized in this …

Governor Issues Executive Order Removing EMS Personnel from Vaccination and Testing Mandate

By James G. Wargo and Bradley Michalowski On July 12, 2022, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2022-16, which removes EMS personnel from the Governor’s previously issued COVID-19 vaccination and testing mandate issued on September 3, 2021. This most recent executive order re-issued and modifies Executive Orders 2020-12 (issued March 24, 2020) and 2021-22 (issued September 3, 2021) and became effective …

Governor Pritzker Extends Disaster Declaration

By Meganne Trela Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois has been operating under a disaster proclamation from Governor J.B. Pritzker. The disaster proclamation has since served as the basis for local government entities to hold their public meetings entirely by remote means under the newly enacted Section 7(e) of the Open Meetings Act (“OMA”) (5 ILCS 120/7(e)). On …

Navigating the New Statement of Economic Interests Form

by James G. Wargo The Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (the “Act”) requires certain local governmental office holders, candidates, appointed officials, and employees to file a “Statement of Economic Interests.” (5 ILCS 420/4A-101.5.) Following the passage of Public Act 102-0664 (effective January 1, 2022), significant changes have been made to the Statement of Financial Interests form. The following questions and answers …

New ISBE Emergency Rules Address Vaccinations and A New Executive Order Addresses School Exclusions Without an Isolation or Quarantine Order

By Maureen A. Lemon On Friday, September 17, 2021, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Governor Pritzker each took emergency action to address several pandemic-related topics facing Illinois school districts. Late in the day, ISBE filed proposed Emergency Rules regarding Mandatory Vaccinations for School Personnel, https://www.isbe.net/Documents/18389_23-6RG-E.pdf. Later in the day, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2021-24, https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/resources/executive-orders/display.executive-order-number-24.2021.html. requiring …

Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations for School Personnel Under Governor’s Executive Order

by Maureen A. Lemon On Thursday, August 26, 2021, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2021-20 (COVID-19 Executive Order 87) mandating that all school district personnel are vaccinated against the virus. All school personnel are expected to have the first dose of a two-dose vaccine series or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine by September 5, 2021 — 10 days after the Executive …

New Laws for the New School Year

By Maureen A. Lemon Welcome, August! While your focus continues to be on public health guidance to reopen schools in the fall, several recent pieces of legislation out of Springfield, Illinois, will also affect your upcoming school year. Below, we have summarized several bills that became law in July and are effective immediately. On September 14, 2021, we will review …

Virtual Public Board Meetings Nearing Their End

by Maureen A. Lemon  Last Friday, June 25, 2021, Governor Pritzker extended the option for Illinois public bodies to meet remotely or in a hybrid model for one more month, until July 24, 2021. Now that Illinois has entered Phase 5 of the State’s Restore Illinois Plan, the ability of public boards to convene a meeting without a quorum being …

New Regulations Govern IEP Meeting Bilingual Interpreters

by Maureen A. Lemon The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) recently issued new special education regulations governing who is qualified to interpret at Individual Education Program (IEP) meetings to assist a parent who has limited English proficiency. The amendments begin on page 1671 of https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/index/register/volume45/register_volume45_issue_6.pdf. These regulations were required by P.A. 101-124, effective January 1, 2020. That law, in turn, …