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Governor Eases Mandates For Churches, Goes For Guidance Instead

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Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives his daily COVID-19 briefing.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker today (Thursday) announced new guidance for places of worship. It comes as he has faced multiple lawsuits over his ban on gatherings of more than 10 people. Pritzker now says faith leaders should try to limit attendance to a quarter of a building’s capacity or 100 attendees, whichever is lower, along with social distancing. 

“We're not providing restrictions. We're simply providing the best recommendations that we can for keeping people safe. So we hope that the pastor will follow those got that guides and those recommendations for his services. . . or her services. “

The Illinois Department of Public Health is still calling for outdoor or remote services when possible, along with cleaning protocols.

The conservative Thomas More Society responded to the changes by claiming victory and saying Pritzker used the pandemic “to stomp on the religious liberty of the people of Illinois.”

“Illinois now has the harshest shutdown order in the country, with little regard for the rights of people of faith and ignoring the current best science,” said Peter Breen, vice president and senior Counsel to the Thomas More Society. “Every one of Illinois’ neighboring states has ‘followed the science’ and taken strong steps to safely reopen both their for-profit businesses and their not-for-profit houses of worship.

“On the eve of the Christian holy day of Pentecost, it’s time to finish the job and secure a safe reopening of our church buildings, giving churches at least equal treatment to law offices, liquor stores, and large retailers,” Breen said in the release.

In terms of other lawsuits, Pritzker said during today's briefing. “Multiple federal judges have reviewed and upheld the approach that we've taken with our executive orders with regard to houses of worship. So you know, these courts have recognized that there's a public health crisis that's ongoing, and the need to take steps to protect public health, as we have, including as related to religious services.  I think we all are aware of circumstances in which there have been infections that have been spread during religious services.”

The governor also said, “I have never encouraged any police enforcement or any other kind of breaking up of gatherings. What I have said is that pastors should use their judgment and the science and data and should follow the recommendations that have been made. But I realized that some have ignored that, that. (some) were held with many people packed together.”

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Maureen Foertsch McKinney is news editor and equity and justice beat reporter for NPR Illinois, where she has been on the staff since 2014 after Illinois Issues magazine’s merger with the station. She joined the magazine’s staff in 1998 as projects editor and became managing editor in 2003. Prior to coming to the University of Illinois Springfield, she was an education reporter and copy editor at three local newspapers, including the suburban Chicago Daily Herald, She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Eastern Illinois University and a master’s degree in English from UIS.
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