* CFL…

Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter released the following statement regarding the announcement of new reopening guidelines by the Pritzker Administration:

“We applaud the Pritzker Administration for taking steps today to continue the safe reopening of our economy as vaccines become more readily accessible and eligibility expands. For more than a year, union workers have sacrificed their health and safety to keep our city, county, state, and nation moving. These workers put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. Meanwhile, thousands of workers sacrificed their livelihoods as entire sectors of the economy were shut down, especially in the hospitality and tourism industries. These skilled workers struggled to put food on the table, pay their bills, and keep their healthcare. The pain and hardship endured by so many can never be forgotten, and the debt we owe these heroes may never be repaid.

“Now, thanks to the heroic efforts of so many, we are finally ready to move closer to reopening our economy and returning to normal. Having a pathway toward reopening helps both workers and their employer plan a more defined path forward. To continue on this pathway to reopening, the health and safety of workers remains an absolute priority. To continue the progress toward reopening and to protect worker safety, continue to follow guidance from the Illinois, Cook County, and Chicago Departments of Public Health. That includes wearing a mask and following all capacity and social distancing guidelines. And when it’s your turn, get vaccinated. Let’s stay committed, stay masked up, and move past this pandemic once and for all.”

This post will likely be updated.

* IHLA…

The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association released the following statement regarding the plan outlined by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to ease capacity limits and further reopen Illinois over the next several months:

“The plan outlined by Governor Pritzker is a step in the right direction, and we appreciate him understanding the need for a roadmap to allow hotels and convention centers to hold larger meetings and events. This underscores the importance of providing clarity to event planners, supports our shared goal of getting people back to work safely, and illustrates why the Governor’s announcement reflects his desire to serve as the chief marketing officer for the state,” said Michael Jacobson, President and CEO, Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association

* ICCVB…

The following is a statement from Jayne DeLuce, Board Chair of the Illinois Council of Convention & Visitor Bureaus (ICCVB) and President & CEO of Visit Champaign County:

“Governor Pritzker’s announcement today that Illinois will progress toward reopening as more people continue to become vaccinated, coupled with last week’s news that conventions will likely re-start this summer under safe guidelines, is exactly the kind of action needed to jumpstart recovery for our state’s tourism industry.

“This is a sign that Illinois is on track to safely welcome visitors and with that comes revenue for our state and municipalities, customers for our small businesses, and jobs for our workforce.”

* Sen. Sara Feigenholtz…

“The testimony provided to the Tourism & Hospitality Committee by leaders from the industry likely had a great impact on some of the Governor’s decisions today. Planning and discussing a path moving forward is the only hope we have to bring jobs back and keep this sector alive.”

“With infection rates dropping and the vaccine more widely available, the Governor messaging that Illinois will soon be open for business was urgently needed to keep conventions and visitors on the books.”

* Chicagoland Chamber…

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce released the following statement in response to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s announcement regarding additional steps to ease restrictions and reopen Illinois:

“Gov. Pritzker’s announcement of reopening steps provides important guidance that will allow businesses to prepare for greater capacity over the next several months. As the economic engine of the state, Chicago’s businesses require consistency in order to plan how to reopen further, rehire workers and bring employees back to the worksite. This guidance is especially important to small businesses and our tourism, conventions and hospitality industries, which have been devastated by the pandemic with thousands of businesses closing their doors, resulting in tens of thousands of people losing their jobs. While the road to recovery is long, we applaud the governor for outlining metrics and creating a path forward for the business community to get people back to work and jumpstart our economy,” said Jack Lavin, President & CEO, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

* Harmon…

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon welcomed news of expanded vaccine access and plans to re-open the state’s economy.

“We’ve made it to this point thanks to modern science and the personal sacrifices of people all across this state. You’ve followed the rules and kept each other safe until a vaccine was widely available. Thank you.

“I urge everyone to remain patient and vigilant as we head into what is hopefully the final phase of this horrible pandemic.”

* NFIB…

NFIB State Director Mark Grant released the following statement today in response to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s revised reopening plan:

“Small businesses appreciate Governor Pritzker’s plan to increase capacity limits as more people receive the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s been a frustratingly difficult year for small business, and today’s announcement is another sign the worst is behind us.

“However, given everything they’ve endured over the past 12 months, small business owners can’t look away from the threat of a $900 billion tax hit if the governor succeeds in decoupling Illinois’s tax structure from the federal changes enacted specifically to help small businesses recover from the pandemic. This misguided proposal not only hurts employers but creates barriers to rehiring many of the workers who lost their jobs when businesses had to scale back or shut down.”

* Affordable Assisted Living Coalition…

“AALC welcomes the announcement today from Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (DPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike on the implementation of a metrics-based, vaccination informed framework for Illinois to fully reopen. We also want to applaud the outstanding work our Supportive Living Program communities have done to vaccinate residents and staff, which has contributed to the state’s ability to move toward normalcy and phase 5 of the Restore Illinois reopening plan, ” said Karin Zosel, Executive Director of the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition. “We encourage all eligible populations to get vaccinated as soon as possible so that we can visit with loved ones, return to normalcy and live a healthier life.”