Oakland, IL – For weeks, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President Don Harmon have cancelled legislative days as part of the shutdowns related to the COVID-19 crisis, but State Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) says it is time for the Legislature to convene.

“The majority party in the House and the Senate have decided that Legislature should be deemed a non-essential service and have decided to cancel session days,” Miller said. “Congress has found a way to do business and certainly local governments here in Illinois are meeting and conducting business as well. It is time for us to return to Springfield and do the job we were elected to do.”

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Even Gov. Pritzker has acknowledged that it is time for the General Assembly to meet and do its job. The Governor in his daily press briefings said lawmakers should return to Springfield and conduct business.

“The Legislature is a co-equal branch of government to the Executive branch and we should be meeting, and we should be more involved and engaged in what is going on during this crisis,” Miller said. “It is kind of tough to be engaged and involved when we are not meeting. Other legislative bodies have found ways to honor the social distancing guidelines and still conduct business. Surely, we can find a way to safely conduct business in Illinois. It is time for Speaker Madigan to call us into session next week.”

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